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in this issue by Cave Discovery Elephants Alley inthe by Rich Mark Speculative Poetry TerryOn Garey A. and Junctions:Imaginary by Walton Jo My Real and Great Children MakesWhat Book This So by Rickert Mary Memory GardenThe by Daughter of Mystery by Andrea Speech, Eight and Essays Lonely Stardust: Two Plays, a by Carol Feminism: Resisting Oppression Liberalism,Kantianism, and Daniel José Older edited by Rose Fox and Long Hidden edited by Lovecraft’s Monsters by Kim by Joanna Russ FemaleThe Man G T H er randmoth e ea F rry A. Gareyrry A. ther Rosether Jones B e S atured H t ook anley Robinson E a H llen Datlow Mark Rich Mark y P air E R o ssay ston ems e A vi M rtist e ws a g ma Kath WilhamKath Arts Editor TimmelL. Duchamp Features Editor Nisi Shawl Reviews Editor Lew Gilchrist Managing Editor $5.00 In This Issue Cover banner collagraph of theCascadia subduction zone byMarilyn Liden Bode Electronic singleissue:$3 $10 peryear Electronic Subscription(PDF format): Print singleissue:$5 Print subscription:$16/yr; www.thecsz.com Subscriptions andsingleissuesonlineat: L onely Stardust: Two Plays, aSpeech, Eight and Essays, by Andrea Hairston K antianism, Liberalism, Feminism: and Resisting Oppression, by Carol Hay W Imaginary Junctions:Imaginary Terry On Garey A. Speculative and Poetry hat Makes Book This So Great My Real and Children, by Walton Jo L ong edited Hidden, by Rose Fox Daniel and José Older D Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow reviewed by Nancy Moore Jane aughter of Mystery, by Heather Rose Jones reviewed by Maria Velazquez reviewed by Usman T. Malik T reviewed by Adrian Khactu reviewed by Caren Gussoff by Kim Stanley Robinson he Memoryhe Garden, by Rickert Mary reviewed by Liz Bourke reviewed by Cat Rambo The FemaleThe Man, by Joanna Russ V ol by Terry Garey A. G Elephants Alley inthe by Mark Rich . 4N er randmoth Mark Rich F B e Cave Discovery atured ook o P E . 3 R o ssay ems —

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sort. She displays care in her approach and and approach her in care displays She sort. consciousness. Neither poem adopts the the adopts poem Neither consciousness.

Cont. on p. 2 p. on Cont.

that make me see her as a writer of the last last the of writer a as her see me make that for they remain rooted in a here-and-now here-and-now a in rooted remain they for

seen qualities in Terry A. Garey’s poems poems Garey’s A. Terry in qualities seen speculative poetry falls on the weak side: side: weak the on falls poetry speculative

her work some thirty years ago, I have have I ago, years thirty some work her being effective poems. Their claim to being being to claim Their poems. effective being

being effective poems. poems. effective being Since having become acquainted with with acquainted become having Since phors, they make their marks simply by by simply marks their make they phors,

their marks simply by by simply marks their - meta controlling extended, cohesive, ing deliberation and without undue haste. undue without and deliberation

metaphors, they make make they metaphors, - Lack fantasy. toward verge them makes These poets seem to move forward with with forward move to seem poets These

extended, controlling controlling extended,

onto astronomical imagery in a way that that way a in imagery astronomical onto that they have discovered for themselves. themselves. for discovered have they that

Lacking cohesive, cohesive, Lacking

These poems meditatively project wishes wishes project meditatively poems These when it will help them explore the space space the explore them help will it when

verge toward fantasy. fantasy. toward verge

should be,” and “I have hidden your body.” body.” your hidden have “I and be,” should doing so so doing — talents afire less impulsively less afire talents

a way that makes them them makes that way a

: “if there is a Dog Star there there Star Dog a is there “if : MSP) after Others seem more apt to set their their set to apt more seem Others

astronomical imagery in in imagery astronomical

- (here Poetry Speculative of Magazine The headlong feat of velocity or another. or velocity of feat headlong

project wishes onto onto wishes project

works that appeared in an early issue of of issue early an in appeared that works able, at some point or points, during one one during points, or point some at able,

These poems meditatively meditatively poems These

this tradition may be seen in two short short two in seen be may tradition this - publish something upon hit will writer

That Garey has felt comfortable within within comfortable felt has Garey That strategy: for an endlessly “productive” “productive” endlessly an for strategy:

fiction, even at its most positivist. most its at even fiction, a winning winning a — shrine of sheer prolificity sheer of shrine

Symbolism that had lent vitality to science science to vitality lent had that Symbolism Some set their talents ablaze at the the at ablaze talents their set Some

ary successor, in holding to the strand of of strand the to holding in successor, ary ative impulse within their souls, attempt it. attempt souls, their within impulse ative

- second the fiction, speculative with share - cre the acknowledged having once and,

stage decoration or backdrop. Yet they also also they Yet backdrop. or decoration stage They have read poetry, have appreciated it, it, appreciated have poetry, read have They

in having the earlier positivism reduced to to reduced positivism earlier the having in as to the workings of a natural process. process. natural a of workings the to as — it

main successor to positivist science fiction, fiction, science positivist to successor main although that must be part of of part be must that although — ambition

share with “game” science-fantasy, the the science-fantasy, “game” with share call succumb not so much due to literary literary to due much so not succumb call

splendor from the Keplerian vision. They They vision. Keplerian the from splendor I suspect that most who hear poetry’s poetry’s hear who most that suspect I

offered by science, deriving metaphoric metaphoric deriving science, by offered aesthetic sense. sense. aesthetic ambient texture. ambient

along with a trained trained a with along draw upon troves of language and concept concept and language of troves upon draw then linger, becoming part of the scene’s scene’s the of part becoming linger, then

1 and mature worldview worldview mature and fruiting, and decline. Poems of this sort sort this of Poems decline. and fruiting, and whose voices, thoughts, and cadences cadences and thoughts, voices, whose and

established a rational rational a established ism during its 1930s to 1950s blossoming, blossoming, 1950s to 1930s its during ism if from out of a privately discovered space, space, discovered privately a of out from if

that comes from having having from comes that i - positiv literary of genre a as fiction science settle in who address their small public as as public small their address who in settle

…reveal a seriousness seriousness a …reveal vocations that had proven so essential to to essential so proven had that vocations e time, engaging in a few outbursts. Others Others outbursts. few a in engaging time,

Terry A. Garey’s poems poems Garey’s A. Terry

from the page without the super the without page the from ­ -science -science audible to most others. Some dabble for a a for dabble Some others. most to audible

of departure, of “flight,” rises into mind mind into rises “flight,” of departure, of - in call siren a heeded have who tential,

vious role within these poems: for a sense sense a for poems: these within role vious - po its in interested writers of part the

- ob no play needs se per flight” “Space trial. name, has witnessed a flux in and out on on out and in flux a witnessed has name,

- terres the to restricted not realm a within the minor literary movement of the same same the of movement literary minor the

for their imaginative projections move move projections imaginative their for The form that is speculative poetry, and and poetry, speculative is that form The

worldview with the astronomical vision: vision: astronomical the with worldview listing on contents pages. contents on listing

tradition that conflates the expansive expansive the conflates that tradition , and their poems as unworthy of of unworthy as poems their and , Digest

derive from the centuries-old Keplerian Keplerian centuries-old the from derive Reader’s Reader’s for anecdote-writers alongside

peared under the speculative poetry banner banner poetry speculative the under peared as sources for typographic filler to rank rank to filler typographic for sources as prize-winning.

- ap have that works in elements Some then. Some editors have regarded poets poets regarded have editors Some then. and made prominent by by prominent made and

or two. Think how it must be for poets, poets, for be must it how Think two. or by the vagaries of voting voting of vagaries the by

∞ ∞ ∞

piece of prose plucked up up plucked prose of piece disappear, even when they publish a book book a publish they when even disappear, truthful but uncharacteristically dishonest. uncharacteristically but truthful

the occasional shorter shorter occasional the We know how easily short-story writers writers short-story easily how know We - un only not believe, I be, would it poet

television serials, even even serials, television nent by prize-winning. prize-winning. by nent If ever she were to call herself a failed failed a herself call to were she ever If

novels, the movies, the the movies, the novels, - promi made and voting of vagaries the by novelist. novelist.

shaping our times our shaping the the — sional shorter piece of prose plucked up up plucked prose of piece shorter sional She refers to herself at times as a failed failed a as times at herself to refers She

by the main events events main the by

- occa the even serials, television the ies, trained aesthetic sense. sense. aesthetic trained

to seem overshadowed overshadowed seem to

- mov the novels, the — shaping our times our shaping tional and mature worldview along with a a with along worldview mature and tional

…our miniaturists come come miniaturists …our

seem overshadowed by the main events events main the by overshadowed seem - ra a established having from comes that

achievement, our miniaturists come to to come miniaturists our achievement, perspective, her works reveal a seriousness seriousness a reveal works her perspective,

from our recollections and our annals of of annals our and recollections our from great capacity for humorous comment and and comment humorous for capacity great

When they do not disappear entirely entirely disappear not do they When in her choice of language; and despite her her despite and language; of choice her in

Rich Mark by

y Imaginary Junctions: On Terry A. Garey and Speculative Poetry Speculative and Garey A. Terry On Junctions: Imaginary Imaginary Junctions stance that its prevailing metaphor ex- These images suggest rootedness liter- (cont. from p. 1) ists outside the reader’s world of possi- ally, with “holdfast,” and figuratively, with bilities. Although I feel inclined to regard “nest.” The poem offers its third simile: the glance that “spreads out to the stars / like age coming on too fast hums through the universe” as being one The line engages with a colloquial sense — that is looking upon a mythic sky, hence a metaphoric and not a literal or astronomi- of one’s awareness of time’s swift pas- cal one, this kind of imaginative leap falls sage — and with an imaginative one: for its short of stepping away from, and separat- phrasing suggests that something is rush- ing itself from, consensus reality. ing backwards in time out of the future, These poems retain a Twelve years after those poems ap- toward the speaker or reader. This gives the focus on the astronomical, peared, Garey revealed her development poem a giddiness: for what is “like” being which counters, without in new works including “Years at Bay (not rooted, while also “like” age coming on too counteracting, a secondary a death poem),” which appeared in the fast? The word next to appear, “travel,” sit- focus on the biological Spring 1997 MSP alongside two other ac- uates the reader at the heart of the circling and earthly. complished works, “Neophyte Station” and and perhaps even circular movement made “exploration of skies.” by the poem: These poems retain a focus on the astro- travel pulls at my time line nomical, which counters, without counter- blurring the stars as I look for their acting, a secondary focus on the biological steady burn and earthly. To these elements she adds the ...to fasten me to a particular point curiosity and openness of a soul caught in A further rootedness does seem evident confusion — a confusion born of an aware- in this second stanza: the rootedness of a ness of existing within contraries. “Dream” fixed celestial view. The third stanza then and the “everyday sense,” for instance, ex- repeats the approach taken by the first: ist in opposition. So do the living world like the coldness that would kill me Emotions may be there and the non-living void — “space / which H like the darkness that would bleach implicitly.… Yet by and is closer than we know.” The laying-waste my features away large emotion disappears that results from human effort similarly 2 like the impersonal vastness in which within the calmness, stands in opposition to the optimism that the deliberation, the I am a person seems to redeem it. firm gaze. In her technique Garey steadfastly takes These words may come from someone an informal tone while avoiding direct growing aware that she has entered a sym- emotional evocation. Emotions may be bolic dream. The lines place her rootedness there implicitly — as was the grief, twelve within a celestial situation in which she years earlier, in “I have hidden your body.” faces physical challenges (“the coldness... Yet by and large emotion disappears with- the darkness”) that could nullify her exis- in the calmness, the deliberation, the firm tence. gaze. The deflection of the personal note, Insofar as it is a speculative poem, “Years despite the informal voice, suits the poems’ at Bay” steps for the moment toward the Garey, moreover, avoids essences as verbal constructs — as specula- reader’s world, although it remains sepa- orphan concepts or tive poems. rated from it. The speaker participates in phrases, especially the Garey, moreover, avoids orphan con- being what a celestial being might be, by lexicological opacities cepts or phrases, especially the lexicologi- taking a place alongside “solar winds / that borrowed from science or cal opacities borrowed from science or whisper o so softly out here.” At the same mathematics that spice mathematics that spice the works of some time she clearly resides on a purely physi- the works of some poets. poets. She hews to directness of expression cal and human level, being susceptible to She hews to directness of and simplicity of vocabulary, so that per- time, to aging, to cold, to dark. expression and simplicity haps her most mysterious word in these The words immediately after that third of vocabulary…. later-1990s poems is “mystery.” stanza and beginning the fourth — “this “Years at Bay” begins by offering a trio journey” — indicate that the tension be- of similes. The first two engage the reader tween the “person” and the “impersonal with fixity: vastness” persists, as must the tension be-

like the holdfast of kelp tween the human being and the celestial

like the fork of a tree anchoring a nest one. The poem ends: n

n

though I had at this point forgotten their their forgotten point this at had I though - ac by quite situation The endeavor. etic

Cont. on p. 4 p. on Cont.

early evidence of a lyrical gift in Garey, even even Garey, in gift lyrical a of evidence early - po of road the along occur that accidents

ones I had long recalled as having provided provided having as recalled long had I ones tells us about memory, continuity, and the the and continuity, memory, about us tells

As it happens, these two poems were the the were poems two these happens, it As anecdote that I find interesting for all it it all for interesting find I that anecdote

tions as minor, in the extreme. extreme. the in minor, as tions This last aspect seems revealed in an an in revealed seems aspect last This

- publica 1985 the from changes these gard inevitable. inevitable.

in the 1980s. the in

- re would Anyone line-indentation. one word gives some of her lines a sense of the the of sense a lines her of some gives word

that had appeared in print print in appeared had that

a typographical error) and in eliminating eliminating in and error) typographical a most; and her secure feeling for phrase and and phrase for feeling secure her and most;

was in fact two poems poems two fact in was

correcting two verb tenses (one possibly possibly (one tenses verb two correcting a yearning for structure makes itself felt in in felt itself makes structure for yearning a

print in the 1980s, but but 1980s, the in print

repetition, the new single poem differs in in differs poem single new the repetition, approach the way “Years at Bay” does: yet yet does: Bay” at “Years way the approach

that had appeared in in appeared had that

to tie the package together. Besides that that Besides together. package the tie to

Not all Garey’s poems take a structural structural a take poems Garey’s all Not award was not a poem poem a not was award

lines repeated from Poem One at the end, end, the at One Poem from repeated lines feels comfortable working. comfortable feels poem that had won an an won had that poem

and then a few few a then and — Two Poem then — One her with a convention within which she she which within convention a with her I say, because this “new” “new” this because say, I

had been placed into sequence: first Poem Poem first sequence: into placed been had 1970s, this visual technique has provided provided has technique visual this 1970s, fact, in 1985. In a sense, sense, a In 1985. in fact,

In “The Cat Star,” these poems from 1985 1985 from poems these Star,” Cat “The In one in the 1960s and especially in the the in especially and 1960s the in one before , in in , MSP our in —

appeared in print print in appeared that had appeared in print in the 1980s. 1980s. the in print in appeared had that An option for poets that became a major major a became that poets for option An

winner had, in a sense, sense, a in had, winner in the 1980s, but was in fact two poems poems two fact in was but 1980s, the in in terms of sentence or phrase appearance. appearance. phrase or sentence of terms in

…Garey’s new award- new …Garey’s not a poem that had appeared in print print in appeared had that poem a not non-capitalized avoidance of the obvious, obvious, the of avoidance non-capitalized

“new” poem that had won an award was was award an won had that poem “new” and often embraces an unpunctuated and and unpunctuated an embraces often and

fact, in 1985. In a sense, I say, because this this because say, I sense, a In 1985. in fact, Garey writes within poetic tradition, tradition, poetic within writes Garey

, in in , MSP our in — peared in print before print in peared get past the difficulty of broken lines. lines. broken of difficulty the past get

- ap sense, a in had, award-winner new who cannot cannot who — exist does that sort a of — er

Dutcher had discovered that Garey’s Garey’s that discovered had Dutcher - read the is end the to along carried be to

serving as intermediary between parties. between intermediary as serving ideas is taking place, the reader who fails fails who reader the place, taking is ideas

and ended up up ended and — means at our beck and call and beck our at means has structure, and because a movement of of movement a because and structure, has

sent a note to her by another of the ethereal ethereal the of another by her to note a sent reading, or even on fifth; yet, because it it because yet, fifth; on even or reading,

3

a matter. I lacked an e-mail address but but address e-mail an lacked I matter. a as “Years at Bay” may not reveal all on first first on all reveal not may Bay” at “Years as

tact with Garey: for he needed to ask about about ask to needed he for Garey: with tact poem arise readily to view. A poem such such poem A view. to readily arise poem

i

- con in kept I if me asked 1980s, middle the so that the notions residing within the the within residing notions the that so

edits the magazine he and I co-founded in in co-founded I and he magazine the edits one upon the other naturally and clearly, clearly, and naturally other the upon one

At some point later, Roger Dutcher, who who Dutcher, Roger later, point some At manner of address. Image and idea follow follow idea and Image address. of manner

recognized by her literary community. literary her by recognized with a relaxed but self-assured self-assured but relaxed a with — move

Garey acknowledged her pleasure in being being in pleasure her acknowledged Garey These examples show how Garey’s lines lines Garey’s how show examples These

endeavor. endeavor. tention to its doings, I took note when when note took I doings, its to tention

in our dirt our in

along the road of poetic poetic of road the along - at little pay and decades for organization

looking down at our mother our at down looking

the accidents that occur occur that accidents the

Although I have kept a distance from this this from distance a kept have I Although

so we won’t blush won’t we so

memory, continuity, and and continuity, memory,

tion Poetry Association, hereafter SFPA). SFPA). hereafter Association, Poetry tion

this is why we look up so much so up look we why is this

for all it tells us about about us tells it all for

- Fic Science (originally Association etry

that I find interesting interesting find I that

made - Po Fantasy and Fiction Science the from

revealed in an anecdote anecdote an in revealed

you can see no trace of what we have have we what of trace no see can you

me that Terry had won a Rhysling award award Rhysling a won had Terry that me

This last aspect seems seems aspect last This

hard lications or readings. Later, news reached reached news Later, readings. or lications

there are places still where if you look look you if where still places are there - pub earlier in poems these of all or any

so you see you so be expected: for I might have encountered encountered have might I for expected: be

of the inevitable. the of

which I thought was only to to only was thought I which — of memory of

its entirety: its

some of her lines a sense sense a lines her of some

this particular poem I felt some nudging nudging some felt I poem particular this

joined by the sense of conflicted hope. In In hope. conflicted of sense the by joined

phrase and word gives gives word and phrase

read and enjoyed it; and in encountering encountering in and it; enjoyed and read

tions of past and future, and earth and sky, sky, and earth and future, and past of tions

and her secure feeling for for feeling secure her and

thology by Garey herself at a WisCon, I I WisCon, a at herself Garey by thology - opposi the contains It 1990s. later the

makes itself felt in most; most; in felt itself makes

- an the given been having After Star.” Cat

mythic vision that unites these poems of of poems these unites that vision mythic

a yearning for structure structure for yearning a

Garey’s entries appeared one titled “The “The titled one appeared entries Garey’s

skies” gives an encapsulated version of the the of version encapsulated an gives skies” a structural approach…yet approach…yet structural a

, among among , Hell from Poetesses Lady 2012’s In

Garey’s short poem “exploration of of “exploration poem short Garey’s Not all Garey’s poems take take poems Garey’s all Not

when I see it see I when

∞ ∞ ∞

will make everyday sense to me to sense everyday make will in time must be her best known. best her be must time in

which end which It relates to the poem that at this point point this at that poem the to relates It

is the dream the is and at end. end. at and

I know that I don’t know which end end which know don’t I that know I cident involved me in minor ways, at start start at ways, minor in me involved cident Imaginary Junctions titles: “if there is a Dog Star there should In fact, Garey had not gone back to two (cont. from p. 3) be” and “I have hidden your body.” published poems and decided they were I relayed this discovery to Garey. Dutch- parts of one poem. In fact, she had found er wanted to bring up the issue so that she what she thought were drafts and com- could present the situation to the SFPA bined them. In fact, she never came across herself, should she so choose, rather than their titles in her list of published works having him do so. He used the word “out- because these early poems never had titles. The news startled Garey. At MSP we had needed something to de- She had been using the ing” in reference to his discovery, reflecting poem in Lady Poetesses his mood. To him I counseled flexibility note them on the contents page, and so, for readings, in its new and understanding. titles, simply used their first lines. form; and apparently she The news startled Garey. She had been This story points toward a difficulty had lost …any record using the poem in Lady Poetesses read- poets face without being conscious of the of its parts having seen ings, in its new form; and apparently she fact — especially in their earlier years when prior publication. She… had lost — presuming she had ever kept — they tend to feel more fluent and fluid, and immediately made the any record of its parts having seen prior when their works proliferate almost with- necessary contacts publication. She expressed willingness to out their being aware. In writing multiple herself…the SFPA officers, accept whatever decision the organiza- poems within limited time spans, the top- after deliberation, felt tion made, and immediately made the ics, words, rhythms, and sonorities may content to leave matters necessary contacts herself — to learn that keep changing — yet, especially if the poet as they stood. She had the SFPA officers, after deliberation, felt is pushing her or himself to write daily, to won an award, and still content to leave matters as they stood. She produce endlessly, a single impulse may possessed it. had won an award, and still possessed it. well underlie all the different poems. A In the meantime I had argued to new statement of essential understand- Dutcher that in its new combination the ing, arising from inner processes, cannot two poems became in essence a new poem. surface every time a poet sits before paper; Apparently the officers thought likewise. and so all those many poems may, in es- Dutcher felt unappeased. I felt little sence, be only one. H sympathy for his position, I fear, even Two aspects fascinate me. For one, the though we two had been the ones to pub- story underlines Garey’s command of 4 lish those early, separate poems. From my her materials. She had chosen words that point of view, the SFPA, to which Dutch- struck her as the right ones, in 1985. When er did belong, represented a community she revisited those words much later, per- of interest that had exercised its right to haps in the 1990s or early 2000s, again administer its awards as it thought appro- they struck her as the right ones. Then priate. At having become part of the his- when preparing the Lady Poetesses vol- tory behind “The Cat Star,” I myself felt ume for publication, yet again she found content. Those two early poems had fallen her original word choices fitting. The part upon an unresponsive audience — partly, of her that comprised her poetic mind, in …in dealing with I suppose, because the community that other words, remained fixed in its choices. manuscripts and supported SFPA never seemed to support The passage of decades failed to change it. publication records I MSP. “The Cat Star,” however, has won at- A second aspect fascinates me: for in know all too well how dealing with manuscripts and publication systems can fail. Garey tention. It fully deserves it. records I know all too well how systems and I, oddly enough, Although the words and phrases re- had experienced a similar mained physically and visually unchanged, can fail. Garey and I, oddly enough, had situation in the early between the two old poems and the one experienced a similar situation in the early 1990s. new poem, they changed in other ways. 1990s. When she took it upon herself to The light airiness, the fancifulness, of “if edit Time Frames: A Speculative Poetry An­ there is a Dog Star there should be,” for thology, I sent her a trio of unpublished po- instance, became weighted and enriched ems. Much later I discovered that one of by being tied to the elegiac “I have hidden the trio had already seen print. My records your body,” the longer poem that ended up had failed me, perhaps; my memory, most subsumed within the shorter. certainly: for the poem had appeared in The two poems’ success in 2013 as a Tales of the Unanticipated — whose poetry single poem seems, in a way, to correct the editor’s records and memory failed her, as

poet’s error in thinking they were separate well; for she was Garey.

entities, in 1985. ∞ ∞ ∞ n

n

Eugene Redmond. Eugene the Beatles’ music and lyrics had so greatly greatly so had lyrics and music Beatles’ the

Cont. on p. 6 p. on Cont.

cluding Ishmael Reed, Maya Angelou, and and Angelou, Maya Reed, Ishmael cluding two volumes of fanciful ingenuity. Since Since ingenuity. fanciful of volumes two

- in African-Americans, and Tanaka, Ron ems to Terry’s liking, and John Lennon’s Lennon’s John and liking, Terry’s to ems

Asian-American poets as well, such as as such well, as poets Asian-American - po wrote who classmate a teachers, nial

rice Kenny. She came into contact with with contact into came She Kenny. rice - conge of pair a poetry: nearer her move

Tall Mountain, Duane Niatum, and Mau- and Niatum, Duane Mountain, Tall base in England several influences helped helped influences several England in base

Gunn Allen, Carol Lee Sanchez, Mary Mary Sanchez, Lee Carol Allen, Gunn In her high school years at a USAF USAF a at years school high her In

that I read books.” read I that Leslie Silko, N. Scott Momaday, Paula Paula Momaday, Scott N. Silko, Leslie I brought my sister in to get her card.” her get to in sister my brought I

being afraid to mention mention to afraid being writers including Simon Ortiz, Joy Harjo, Harjo, Joy Ortiz, Simon including writers “I discovered the children’s section when when section children’s the discovered “I

writing...after years of of years writing...after She met and heard Native American American Native heard and met She er, H. Allen Smith, and Robert Benchley. Robert and Smith, Allen H. er,

talking to people about about people to talking life experiences. experiences. life - Park Dorothy Thurber, James reading was

“It was quite heady, heady, quite was “It ings, which seemed rooted in reality and and reality in rooted seemed which ings, the adult side of the library. And so there I I there so And library. the of side adult the

- writ its and community this with tified age he showed me the humor section on on section humor the me showed he age

- iden she her, upon impression an make to children’s section, so since I was tall for my my for tall was I since so section, children’s

While academic and Beat poetry had yet yet had poetry Beat and academic While up. I think he didn’t want to be seen in the the in seen be to want didn’t he think I up.

writers being identified as “Third World.” World.” “Third as identified being writers me a library card library a me — and the world opened opened world the and

self becoming immersed in writings and and writings in immersed becoming self to a public library in Portland, Oregon, got got Oregon, Portland, in library public a to

- her found Garey part, taking was Rose first. Then in fifth grade my father took me took father my grade fifth in Then first.

recalled. Attending readings in which which in readings Attending recalled. usual fairy tales and nursery rhymes, at at rhymes, nursery and tales fairy usual

ever, and I read whatever I could find could I whatever read I and ever, the Native American community,” Garey Garey community,” American Native the the the —

- how school, at painting and drawing joy sell her paintings at powwows, where I met met I where powwows, at paintings her sell

- en did I it. waste to not taught was I and together for mutual support. I helped her her helped I support. mutual for together

called recently. “School paper was precious precious was paper “School recently. called student and sidekick. “We hung around around hung “We sidekick. and student

“Third World.” World.” “Third - re she child,” a as much write didn’t “I experiences now and then,” became Rose’s Rose’s became then,” and now experiences

writers being identified as as identified being writers

and England. and university and having some rather awful awful rather some having and university

immersed in writings and and writings in immersed

Texas, Missouri, West Germany, Oregon, Oregon, Germany, West Missouri, Texas, every week in the Berkeley hills around the the around hills Berkeley the in week every

found herself becoming becoming herself found

5

early 1950s, Terry spent formative years in in years formative spent Terry 1950s, early three to five hundred newspapers a night night a newspapers hundred five to three

was taking part, Garey Garey part, taking was

tor the Air Force permanent reserves in the the in reserves permanent Force Air the while the latter, who was “throwing “throwing was who latter, the while —

readings in which Rose Rose which in readings

i - men latter’s the became program, study European Theater in World War II, joined joined II, War World in Theater European

small press.… Attending Attending press.… small

of California at Berkeley through a work- a through Berkeley at California of father, who had been a tail gunner in the the in gunner tail a been had who father,

community and the the and community

mer, who had begun attending University University attending begun had who mer, her childhood home, however. Since her her Since however. home, childhood her

Garey to the creative creative the to Garey

- for The collapsed. and deteriorated then nian. That state only occasionally served as as served occasionally only state That nian.

Wendy Rose…introduced Rose…introduced Wendy

during which both entered marriages that that marriages entered both which during - Califor generation fifth a was Berkeley,

especially after a few years had passed passed had years few a after especially view, Theresa Ann Garey, born in 1948 in in 1948 in born Garey, Ann Theresa view,

Rose became Garey’s main influence, influence, main Garey’s became Rose From her father’s family’s point of of point family’s father’s her From

“mostly what not to do.” to not what “mostly lished in June, 1979. June, in lished

At Rose’s urging she enrolled, and learned learned and enrolled, she urging Rose’s At - pub directory membership SFPA the in

my poems as his. He got an ‘A’ for them.” them.” for ‘A’ an got He his. as poems my nities. Her “interests, myriad” appeared appeared myriad” “interests, Her nities.

she recalled. “I had him submit a couple of of couple a submit him had “I recalled. she - commu literary her combining in alone

people could teach how to write poetry,” poetry,” write to how teach could people no end: for until then she had felt nearly nearly felt had she then until for end: no

poet further intrigued her. “I had no idea idea no had “I her. intrigued further poet the new SFPA must have pleased her to to her pleased have must SFPA new the

was taking a class taught by a published published a by taught class a taking was from Berkeley poet Andrew Joron about about Joron Andrew poet Berkeley from

and the small press. That another friend friend another That press. small the and fiction community. Learning afterwards afterwards Learning community. fiction

troduced Garey to the creative community community creative the to Garey troduced of acceptance upon entering the science science the entering upon acceptance of

- in Rose Rose. Wendy as herself establish and then she had found a different level level different a found had she then and

lived in San Francisco. San in lived

this pen name but who would soon re- soon would who but name pen this to a literary community in the Bay Area, Area, Bay the in community literary a to

woman they described described they woman

endel, who had published poems under under poems published had who endel, an early sense of what it meant to belong belong to meant it what of sense early an

appeared in print, the the print, in appeared

- Kansh Chiron with friends became She Garey. During that decade she had gained gained had she decade that During Garey.

unassuming words words unassuming

­ tuitio n-free community college system. system. college community n-free thinking of herself, formally, as Terry A. A. Terry as formally, herself, of thinking

SF poetry.” When these these When poetry.” SF

nia, which led to her entering the state’s state’s the entering her to led which nia, in an important way; and already she was was she already and way; important an in

cats, big brown eyes, eyes, brown big cats,

- Califor in grandmother paternal her with nearly a decade that poetry nourished her her nourished poetry that decade a nearly Weaknesses: pork buns, buns, pork Weaknesses:

In 1966 her parents sent her to live live to her sent parents her 1966 In San Francisco. By then she had known for for known had she then By Francisco. San “Interests, myriad. myriad. “Interests,

quartet that, handwritten, she mailed them. mailed she handwritten, that, quartet in print, the woman they described lived in in lived described they woman the print, in

year wrote a screenplay for the rock and roll roll and rock the for screenplay a wrote year When these unassuming words appeared appeared words unassuming these When

them an effort in return, and in her senior senior her in and return, in effort an them buns, cats, big brown eyes, SF poetry.” poetry.” SF eyes, brown big cats, buns,

broadened her horizons, she felt she owed owed she felt she horizons, her broadened “Interests, myriad. Weaknesses: pork pork Weaknesses: myriad. “Interests, Imaginary Junctions “Women were usually in the minority Her new community altered her life in (cont. from p. 5) in these readings, but they were there,” she unexpected ways. She found work at a map recalled. “There were also a lot of women- store run by Yarbro’s father, at the book- only readings around the Bay Area, but in store named The Other Change of Hobbit, spite of this Wendy and I rarely got to read and at a San Francisco magic nightclub together. For one thing she was a better frequented by area science fiction and poet; and for another, they were still divid- mystery writers. ing the white poets from the non-white, If at first she met no one writing poetry even at group readings! It was frustrating.” within the genre community, she did find Garey found publication Whether it would be due to her influ- a few poems in science fiction magazines, in the company of Third and discovered as well Edward Lucie- World writers, appearing ence on Garey or to an intrinsic common- Smith’s Holding Your Eight Hands: An An­ alongside Rose, Sanchez, ality between them, Rose’s position that thology of Science Fiction Verse. “But it wasn’t and Kenny, as well as a poem should speak to the listener or exactly what I had in mind,” she recalled. Roxanne Dunbar, in the reader without mediation, especially with- litzine dodeca, predecessor out academically elitist mediation, might “There seemed to be an awful lot of sex to Contact/II. easily be seen as Garey’s. and death involved, and what seemed like Through an amateur press association awkward rhyming and overlarge words.” in the middle 1970s, Garey met another Lucie-Smith’s anthology presented an who would prove an important influ- overwhelmingly male slate of poets, with ence: Camilla “Mog” Decarnin, who was the exception of California poet Ruth obtaining her master’s in poetry at San Lechtliner. Through the 1970s Garey Francisco State. gradually grew aware that other women “We had both been Air Force kids, we were publishing imaginative poetry, how- ever — including Phyllis Gottlieb, Ursula were both the oldest child, and we were K. Le Guin, Diane Ackerman, and Janet both the weird, inexplicable kid at home Fox. With Suzette Hayden Elgin’s found- and at school,” recalled Garey. “Essentially ing of the SFPA and its newsletter Star we were sisters, or at least cousins.” H Line in 1978, and with other new publi- Garey found publication in the com- cations appearing then and in the early pany of Third World writers, appearing 6 1980s, she grew more strongly aware of alongside Rose, Sanchez, and Kenny, as others who had been or were now active well as Roxanne Dunbar, in the litzine do­ in the field, including Ruth Berman, Janet deca, predecessor to Contact/II. Fox, Karen G. Jollie, Kathryn Rantala, and Years would pass before Garey would Jane Yolen. take seriously Rose’s insistence that she Garey would come to see herself as a keep consistent records of writings and “quiet facilitator for speculative poetry — publications. Even so, Garey believes do­ especially readings, because people love to Through the 1970s Garey deca gave her her first publication. be read to.” Her facilitating began with the gradually grew aware Through Rose, too, Garey entered a 1979 Westercon and, from a distance, the that other women were quite different community. “She intro- 1979 WisCon. Since she, Rose, and De- publishing imaginative duced me to science fiction fandom,” carnin were unable to attend, they mailed poetry.… Garey said, “and I had a home. It was won- a poetry reading on cassette. Garey then Garey would come to derful, exciting. I was accepted. I met Bob became involved in the 1981 Worldcon, see herself as a “quiet Silverberg, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Susan Denvention II, at a reading that either she facilitator for speculative Wood, Terry Carr, Poul Anderson, Deb- or Robert Frazier, or both, organized. poetry — especially bie Notkin, Tom Whitmore, Dave Nee, After having suggested to various sci- readings, because people and many others. Quinn introduced me to ence fiction anthology editors in the 1970s love to be read to.” many visiting writers. Alfie Bester kissed that they hire her to edit poetry, she be- my hand. I had no idea who he was. Ber- came a significant editor in the field in tie Chandler and I discussed navy bases in the 1980s, although never profession- Scotland. Again, I had no idea who he was. ally — beginning in 1981 as poetry editor He bought me a cup of tea. …It was quite for feminist zine Aurora. After her 1983 heady, talking to people about writing...af- move to Minneapolis, she became the first ter years of being afraid to mention that I poetry editor for Tales of the Unanticipated.

read books.” She also encountered her first After the magazine commenced in 1986,

fanzine — a feminist one by Wood. her editorship continued for nine issues. n

n

- ap she and approach; and name poetry” - con of issues upon focused poet, rious

Cont. on p. 8 p. on Cont.

of which firmly embraced the “speculative “speculative the embraced firmly which of - se primarily a as emerged have might

, the last two two last the , MSP and , Velocities , Uranus Under other conditions I believe Garey Garey believe I conditions other Under

, , Line Star periodicals the in presence her their sole ticket to literary redemption. literary to ticket sole their

In the meantime Garey had established established had Garey meantime the In two hundred copies per issue offered them them offered issue per copies hundred two

vention events. vention made it seem that magazine runs of under under of runs magazine that seem it made

- con popular became which name, Hell of the Reagan years and their aftermath aftermath their and years Reagan the of may yet. may

readings under the Lady Poetesses from from Poetesses Lady the under readings economic doldrums and artistic Salt Flats Flats Salt artistic and doldrums economic issues of conscience. She She conscience. of issues

workshop in combination led to the group group the to led combination in workshop serious poet, focused upon upon focused poet, serious struggling to find their personal voices, the the voices, personal their find to struggling

ski, and Laurel Winter. The readings and and readings The Winter. Laurel and ski, emerged as a primarily primarily a as emerged ing costs: but for this group, as they were were they as group, this for but costs: ing

believe Garey might have have might Garey believe - Rezmer Calvin John O’Malley, sandra - print low to thanks time, their before life

Under other conditions I I conditions other Under - Cas K. Marjesdatter, Rebecca Berman, small press had seen an ebullient flash of of flash ebullient an seen had press small

its members being Eleanor Arnason, Ruth Ruth Arnason, Eleanor being members its ribbons to faintness, and pure hope. The The hope. pure and faintness, to ribbons

shop began meeting during those years, years, those during meeting began shop upon licking stamps, pounding typewriter typewriter pounding stamps, licking upon

- work poetry Her others. many among spirits in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s existed existed ’90s and ’80s, 1970s, the in spirits

in 1984 attracting Yolen and Tom Digby, Digby, Tom and Yolen attracting 1984 in Many who first asserted their literary literary their asserted first who Many

readings she began hosting at Minicon Minicon at hosting began she readings

∞ ∞ ∞

the Minnesota twin cities, with the poetry poetry the with cities, twin Minnesota the

ering and organizing her decades of work. of decades her organizing and ering

facilitating at conventions flourished in in flourished conventions at facilitating

- reconsid begin to time the her given has

support of congenial souls, however. Her Her however. souls, congenial of support

Her recent retirement from library work work library from retirement recent Her

Her efforts won her the respect and and respect the her won efforts Her

in 2013 she received her second Rhysling. Rhysling. second her received she 2013 in

work having been read. been having work

anthology; and and anthology; Hell from Poetesses Lady

a sometimes instant rejection without her her without rejection instant sometimes a

prose writers. prose circle a more formal existence, with the the with existence, formal more a circle

chosen, or that had chosen her, earned her her earned her, chosen had that or chosen,

that had spread among among spread had that cade. In 2012 she helped give her reading reading her give helped she 2012 In cade.

that the form of writing which she had had she which writing of form the that a notion of superiority, superiority, of notion

- de third its in now workshop, poetry her

Garey came to learn, in other words, words, other in learn, to came Garey from an elitist feeling, feeling, elitist an from

has continued writing and meeting with with meeting and writing continued has

7 writers. to do with genre. It arose arose It genre. with do to

world of submissions and publications, she she publications, and submissions of world

superiority, that had spread among prose prose among spread had that superiority, and nothing specifically specifically nothing

in 2009. Although she withdrew from the the from withdrew she Although 2009. in

with gender relations, relations, gender with i arose from an elitist feeling, a notion of of notion a feeling, elitist an from arose

Decarnin, as well as the death of her father father her of death the as well as Decarnin,

that had nothing to do do to nothing had that

nothing specifically to do with genre. It It genre. with do to specifically nothing

decline, and death of her old friend “Mog” “Mog” friend old her of death and decline,

rejection a snubbing snubbing a —

nothing to do with gender relations, and and relations, gender with do to nothing

for Garey, in part due to the illness, slow slow illness, the to due part in Garey, for

this kind of offhand offhand of kind this

offhand rejection offhand a snubbing that had had that snubbing a —

The past decade has proven challenging challenging proven has decade past The

Garey herself encountered encountered herself Garey Garey herself encountered this kind of of kind this encountered herself Garey

long poem in 1997. in poem long .’” wrote you said you thought I ‘Oh, said,

, resulting in its winning a Rhysling for for Rhysling a winning its in resulting , frey wrote. When she said poetry, the person person the poetry, said she When wrote.

­ McCaf Anne with Cooking Forth: It Serve The person asked what it was that she she that was it what asked person The

ning Tomatoes” appeared in the anthology anthology the in appeared Tomatoes” ning that she was a writer as well as an artist. artist. an as well as writer a was she that

- Can while UFOs “Spotting lengthier Rose once told someone at a literary party party literary a at someone told once Rose

Eight years afterwards Garey’s much much Garey’s afterwards years Eight other piece of writing and more. Wendy Wendy more. and writing of piece other

to the river the to it the thought and love you would give any any give would you love and thought the it

that never return never that spective authors: “Believe in poetry. Give Give poetry. in “Believe authors: spective

are salmon are - pro her to saying this, counter to strove

1988, titled “Photons”: titled 1988, she she Aurora for editing When fiction. ence

A personal favorite of hers appeared in in appeared hers of favorite personal A - sci within especially true seemed This

lications toward publishing fiction. fiction. publishing toward lications and perhaps beneath their dignity, as well. well. as dignity, their beneath perhaps and

- pub springboard themselves give to order

neath the notice of many prose writers, writers, prose many of notice the neath within science fiction. fiction. science within

for the sake of writing poetry, and not in in not and poetry, writing of sake the for - be fell poetry of writing the that ceived seemed true especially especially true seemed

la. By and large these writers wrote poetry poetry wrote writers these large and By la. - per she ’80s, and 1970s the in Especially their dignity, as well. This This well. as dignity, their

- Ranta and Malcohn, Elissa Dorman, nya sources that gave rise to her facilitating. facilitating. her to rise gave that sources and perhaps beneath beneath perhaps and

- So Cannon, Melissa Berman, Ackerman, Her work as editor grew from the same same the from grew editor as work Her of many prose writers, writers, prose many of

sociated with speculative poetry, alongside alongside poetry, speculative with sociated Ann K. Schwader. K. Ann fell beneath the notice notice the beneath fell

- as poets woman visible more the among that the writing of poetry poetry of writing the that among others, Berman, Decarnin, and and Decarnin, Berman, others, among

and ’80s, she perceived perceived she ’80s, and being prolific, in the 1980s Garey ranked ranked Garey 1980s the in prolific, being featured generous selections of works by, by, works of selections generous featured

Especially in the 1970s 1970s the in Especially Wendy Rose, in the last. Despite never never Despite last. the in Rose, Wendy , which which , Frames Time anthology hardbound

Burning with a Vision a with Burning and ers alongside alongside — vidual projects as well, notably her 1991 1991 her notably well, as projects vidual

peared in the anthologies anthologies the in peared ­ Lov and Aliens - indi several co-edited and edited She Imaginary Junctions science. She may yet. She had stumbled Partial Bibliography (cont. from p. 7) upon an education in the Bay Area that made her aware of vibrant indigenous Bag Person Press Collective, 1990. Paper and sexual­-political issues; yet afterwards Bag Writer. Minneapolis: Bag Person she had found acceptance within a genre- Press. Paper bags. based community that rejected poetry —, 1991. Raw Sacks. Minneapolis: Bag only slightly more quickly than it rejected Person Press. Paper bags. Garey has long displayed feminism, and that smiled upon verse only —, 2012. Lady Poetesses from Hell. a quiet, whimsical humor when coy or clever. Minneapolis: Bag Person Press. that seems to bring its Garey has long displayed a quiet, whim- Paperback. own measure of reward, sical humor that seems to bring its own Frazier, Robert, ed., 1984. Burning with a insofar as gentle humor measure of reward, insofar as gentle hu- Vision. Philadelphia: Owlswick Press. builds community more mor builds community more than it un- Garey, Terry A., 1981. “The than it undermines it. dermines it. I have worried that this aspect Persnicketiness of Communication.” would overwhelm the essential Garey, Aurora 7:1, Summer 1981, pp. 14-5. however. That a “recipe” for canning to- matoes should win her a poetry award —, 1985. “if there is a Dog Star there seemed almost unfortunate, since it pub- should be,” and “I have hidden your licly elevated a relatively lightweight con- body.” The Magazine of Speculative coction of hers above work that seems to Poetry 1:2, Spring 1985, pp. 12-3. me to exhibit her deeper ambitions. Yet —, 1997. “Years at Bay (not a death that “The Cat Star” afterwards won an poem),” “Neophyte Station,” and award from the same organization comes “exploration of skies.” The Magazine of near to redeeming the situation: for this Speculative Poetry 4:1, Spring 1997, pp. I believe, despite the 16-7. current mood within work achieves at a level beyond that to be the genre of embracing reached by most writers, in our day. Garey, Terry A., ed., 1991. Time Frames: I say the above not to denigrate her A Speculative Poetry Anthology. H confessionalism, mannerism, and euphuistic humor, which I value not only in her po- Minneapolis: Rune Press. Hardcover. exoticism, that her ems but in her quilting art and in her ap- Garey, Terry A., and Eleanor Arnason, 8 solid and accomplished proach to life in general. How can one not eds., 1988. Time Gum and Other Poems approach to capturing a approve the instinct that led her to affix from the Minicon Poetry Readings. distinctly human impulse canning lids with hot-glue to the frame in Minneapolis: Rune Press. Chapbook. will win her more readers which she displays her first award certifi- Kenin, Millea, ed., 1983. Aliens and in coming years. cate — and to her similar plan to affix toy Lovers. Oakland: Unique Graphics. cats to the frame for her second? McCaffrey, Anne, and John Gregory The low-key humor, the self-deprecation, Betancourt, eds., 1996. Serve It Forth: the Minnesotan shying from the spot- Cooking with Anne McCaffrey. New light — all may have become an ingrained York: Warner/Aspect. part of Garey, the poet, by this point. Yet I think a motivated, penetrating vitality Rich, Mark, 2013. “The Transformations remains within her; and I believe, despite of Speculative Poetry: On WisCon the current mood within the genre of em- Panels in 2008 and 2013.” New bracing confessionalism, mannerism, and York Review of Science Fiction 26:1, euphuistic exoticism, that her solid and September 2013, pp. 22-7. accomplished approach to capturing a dis- tinctly human impulse will win her more readers in coming years. Mark Rich has published To close, from “Years at Bay”: in publications ranging this journey puzzles me from Poem, Rattle, and Ship shoves my mind around while I stare of Fools to Analog, SF Age, at imaginary junctions wondering and Amazing Stories. His how much is enough most recent book is C.M. how much is what it used to be

Kornbluth: The Life and Works and where will I go when it is all over

of a Science Fiction Visionary. He lives is Wisconsin. n

n

untitled

begin to dance to begin

watches the pictures on the walls walls the on pictures the watches

the anthropologist anthropologist the

once again once

the cave is in concert concert in is cave the

all those years ago years those all

from sound sound from

who drew magic magic drew who

by many hands hands many by

given strength strength given

are now a rhythm rhythm a now are

drops of water water of drops

echoes of their round dance dance round their of echoes

In the alley, elephants keep walking to the Big Top Big the to walking keep elephants alley, the In

borne on updrafts of sound of updrafts on borne

dream of being kids. being of dream

their wings wings their

Finally we sleep together on top of the covers, covers, the of top on together sleep we Finally

around the music music the around

sing, tell jokes, get cracker crumbs in the bed. bed. the in crumbs cracker get jokes, tell sing,

flutter flutter

we play cards all night, night, all cards play we

old dreams dreams old

We laugh like sisters and watch the elephants, elephants, the watch and sisters like laugh We

as an instrument an as

what we’ve been missing. been we’ve what

9

plays the cave cave the plays

sees me, and at last she understands understands she last at and me, sees

the bone flute flute bone the

looks at me, me, at looks

i

supplies breath and fingers fingers and breath supplies

Startled, she sees them, them, sees she Startled,

the anthropologist anthropologist the

You can see them between the garages! the between them see can You

into a flute a into

Elephants in the alley– alley– the in Elephants

makes a hollow vulture bone bone vulture hollow a makes

Mom, look! look! Mom,

a hollow reed reed hollow a

from the train to the Big Top. Big the to train the from

passing through on the way way the on through passing Garey A. Terry

In the alley I see circus elephants elephants circus see I alley the In

(for Giovana) (for

Look, he cries, just look! just cries, he Look,

Cave Discovery Cave

points to the window. window. the to points

An old friend comes into the room, room, the into comes friend old An

I know, I know, I croon into her hair. her into croon I know, I know, I

on my shoulder. shoulder. my on

she cries into the cotton nighty nighty cotton the into cries she

I’m so tired tired so I’m

(2013). (2013).

(1977) and “The Cat Star” Star” Cat “The and (1977)

has cursed us with insomnia. with us cursed has

while Canning Tomatoes” Tomatoes” Canning while

the menopause fairy fairy menopause the

work: for “Spotting UFOs UFOs “Spotting for work:

sobbing with exhaustion– exhaustion– with sobbing

two Rhysling awards for her her for awards Rhysling two

hold each other– other– each hold of poetry and has received received has and poetry of

In the dream my mother and I I and mother my dream the In has edited several volumes volumes several edited has

Hell from the Twin Cities, Cities, Twin the from Hell

of Lady Poetesses from from Poetesses Lady of

Garey A. Terry

Terry A. Garey, a member member a Garey, A. Terry Elephants in the Alley the in Elephants y The Female Man: Swift Classic The Female Man, by Joanna Russ by Kim Stanley Robinson

It is an angry book. This feminist classic is very swift. Even voices in The Golden Notebook sound much Russ wrote once of being the longest chapters are short, and the the same, and Lessing seems to abandon “addicted to rage,” and I shortest ones run less than a page. In the her plan about halfway through. Russ lit- think it is true that anger rush of information the chapters shift not eralizes this structure by way of science fic- is her typical literary just in character and setting, but also mode tion, with her four people genetically the mood. But she is also very and register. As Samuel R. Delany wrote, same but living in four different worlds. funny; very precise; very the styles include “a compendium of (and The device is foregrounded by this science tricky, indirect, subtle, in The Female Man, almost a textbook on) fiction literalization, and it drives the plot: ingenious. various modes of discourse — rhapsody, how are these four J women different, and polemic, satire, fantasy, foreground action, why? And what will they do together? There are moments in The psychological naturalism, reverie, and in- Russ only wrote about Doris Lessing Female Man meant to vective — each brought, in its turn, within once that I can find, in a 1971 essay called shock the reader. the science fiction frame for the chang- “What Can a Heroine Do? or Why Wom- es that result.” This is a good way to see en Can’t Write.” She wrote there, “In novels the book. of Doris Lessing, an authoress concerned There are four Js in the novel: Janet from with a great many things besides love, the Whileaway, a planet occupied only by heroines still spend most of their energy women; Jeannine, a young woman brought and time maintaining relations with their up in an alternate 1950s USA, where the lovers (or marrying, or divorcing, or fail- Depression never ended; Jael, a soldier in a ing to achieve orgasm, or achieving it, or sex war between men and women, in some worrying about their sexuality, their men, near future; and the slippery Joanna, ap- their love, and their love lives).” This is not H parently the author of the book, who ap- a very generous evaluation, and perhaps it pears from time to time to comment on came in the context of Russ writing The 10 the action, and sometimes join it. Female Man and in effect doing more than The action, though jumbled, has a clear Lessing did with Lessing’s device. Ulti- plot, which is the stepwise unveiling of each mately they were wrestling with similar of the four different worlds’ natures and problems, and the two books would make their relation to each other. Together the a good reading pair. tangled scenes tell one story, in 214 packed There are moments in The Female Man pages. The compression is explosive; I recall meant to shock the reader. The early reading the book in a single sitting in 1975, cocktail party where Janet knocks down and afterward feeling stunned — slapped the host is not one of these, as it seems around, but also exhilarated. meant to make all readers, male or female, It is an angry book. Russ wrote once of cheer for the tough outsider fed up with being “addicted to rage,” and I think it is the pompous bad guy. The scene fits the true that anger is her typical literary mood. template of a thousand other stories, and But she is also very funny; very precise; its gender flip, salutary and instructive, very tricky, indirect, subtle, ingenious. is easy to follow and agree with. Ah yes, She wrote the book between 1969 and one thinks (one man, me, 1975), Janet is 1971; it was published in 1975. It is a very a strong, sensible person from a strong, Sixties text, in that it is experimental, revo- sensible culture, reacting to a stupid, pre- lutionary, graphic, politicized, theatrical. tentious culture. She’s the cowboy in the I think it likely that Russ read Doris drawing room, Crocodile Dundee in New Lessing’s The Golden Notebook, published York. If I were that woman I would behave in 1962, and decided that Lessing’s idea like that too! one might hopefully think. of having a woman writer express four dif- And this reaction is a step along a way. ferent personalities in four differently col- But Janet and her home planet While- Grandmother Magma ored notebooks, which then coalesce into a away keep getting more complex as we

golden notebook, was a good idea, but not learn more. Indeed, one of the main plots

fully exploited by Lessing, because all the in this novel is the successive revealing of n

n

admittedly leads toward solipsism, so that that so solipsism, toward leads admittedly think the best novel ever about telepathy, telepathy, about ever novel best the think

Cont. on p. 13 p. on Cont.

even though the child-rearing method method child-rearing the though even , is I I is , Died Chaos And second, Her results.

tivity is mandatory and lethally enforced, enforced, lethally and mandatory is tivity discontinuity, with hilarious and tragic tragic and hilarious with discontinuity,

- collec Here them. have does one this see nism both by a spacetime and a generic generic a and spacetime a by both nism

fascist elements, and by this example we we example this by and elements, fascist - femi and fiction science into wrenched

logically female. Such a thing could have have could thing a Such female. logically us a barbarian sword and sorcery heroine, heroine, sorcery and sword barbarian a us

unforgettable. - bio are people the all which in civilization , gives gives , Paradise on Picnic novel, first Her

of novels, troubling and and troubling novels, of

here saying, Whileaway is not utopia; it’s a a it’s utopia; not is Whileaway saying, here This is not Russ’s only great book. book. great only Russ’s not is This

They are the best kind kind best the are They individuality and respect for life. Russ is is Russ life. for respect and individuality

engaging and moving. moving. and engaging assault on liberal or bourgeois values of of values bourgeois or liberal on assault

it’s a koan to puzzle over. over. puzzle to koan a it’s

offensive, while also also while offensive, which I mean Russ intends it to be an an be to it intends Russ mean I which

dents together make its meaning, and then then and meaning, its make together dents

are transgressive and and transgressive are

This is meant to be crazy, I think, by by think, I crazy, be to meant is This

- inci the All pages. 214 its than shorter … really all her novels novels her all really

Janet shoots and kills her. That’s the law. the That’s her. kills and shoots Janet

book can’t be collapsed to a meaning any any meaning a to collapsed be can’t book

her back; and when she won’t come back, back, come won’t she when and back; her

human; but not in any simple way. The The way. simple any in not but human;

police officer, goes out to find her and bring bring and her find to out goes officer, police

being a female man, or any other kind of of kind other any or man, female a being ently this is illegal, and so Janet, being a a being Janet, so and illegal, is this ently

knowing more than you did before about about before did you than more knowing - Appar own. her on off goes retired, away,

In the end you stagger out of this book, book, this of out stagger you end the In - While on woman old An surprise. late a

like men! men! like in the book (p. 143) comes a scene saved as as saved scene a comes 143) (p. book the in

of Whileaway, what are they? They’re just just They’re they? are what Whileaway, of think this is Russ’s utopia. Then, much later later much Then, utopia. Russ’s is this think

myself in my own old age! These women women These age! old own my in myself away is her place; we relate to it, we can still still can we it, to relate we place; her is away

to wander off in the hills! I plan to do that that do to plan I hills! the in off wander to - While seems. it Joanna, much very Still

on your neck. You think, but wait, I like like I wait, but think, You neck. your on

.” .” work they And work. they And simple way. simple

ing by the shoulders till your head snaps snaps head your till shoulders the by ing awayans work all the time. They work. work. They time. the all work awayans of human; but not in any any in not but human; of

- While ha-has…. and gardens into areas - shak a face, the to slap a — of Whileaway of man, or any other kind kind other any or man,

wit, the cast of mind that makes industrial industrial makes that mind of cast the wit, dream, but still sits there inside the idea idea the inside there sits still but dream, about being a female female a being about

11 ety of high intelligence, the obliquities of of obliquities the intelligence, high of ety more than you did before before did you than more of an old woman almost seems like a bad bad a like seems almost woman old an of

- gai the energy, explosive incredible the all, out of this book, knowing knowing book, this of out the brief recounting of the legal murder murder legal the of recounting brief the

In the end you stagger stagger you end the In i about this society, “[t]here is too, under it it under too, is “[t]here society, this about with a crosschop of contradictions, so that that so contradictions, of crosschop a with

Russ herself. And later the narrator adds adds narrator the later And herself. Russ of new information pummeling the reader reader the pummeling information new of

They’re just like men! men! like just They’re

like the character Joanna, and maybe even even maybe and Joanna, character the like violent rush and tumble, page after page page after page tumble, and rush violent

Whileaway, what are they? they? are what Whileaway,

irritable solipsism.” This all sounds quite quite sounds all This solipsism.” irritable then the story moves on yet again, on in its its in on again, yet on moves story the then

These women of of women These picion, and its tendency toward a rather rather a toward tendency its and picion,

doesn’t recognize it for what it is. And And is. it what for it recognize doesn’t

- sus its dissatisfaction, its independence,

Jeannine comes across Janet’s gun and and gun Janet’s across comes Jeannine

gives Whileawayan life its characteristic characteristic its life Whileawayan gives

moves on, without even a break, when when break, a even without on, moves

separation from the mothers. This (it says) says) (it This mothers. the from separation

Joanna, writing her book. Then the scene scene the Then book. her writing Joanna,

ing, which is drastically curtailed by the the by curtailed drastically is which ing,

of Whileawayan society, but on the part of of part the on but society, Whileawayan of

- flower and pleasure, indulgence, early

her death was “a bad joke,” not on the part part the on not joke,” bad “a was death her

the basis of Whileawayan character in the the in character Whileawayan of basis the

that would have been; but she’s dead; and and dead; she’s but been; have would that

lowing: “Whileawayan psychology locates locates psychology “Whileawayan lowing:

have liked to make love to her, how nice nice how her, to love make to liked have

- fol the get we 52 page on but marked;

have noticed her, but the narrator would would narrator the but her, noticed have

- unre is results, devastating well-known

son she was, how no Earth man would would man Earth no how was, she son

ing children off to boarding schools, with with schools, boarding to off children ing

- per remarkable a what like; was Twason,

- send of tradition upper-class British the

elements….

what the murdered old woman, Elena Elena woman, old murdered the what

raised collectively. The resemblance to to resemblance The collectively. raised

a thing could have fascist fascist have could thing a

The narrator then goes on to imagine imagine to on goes then narrator The

taken from their mothers at age five and and five age at mothers their from taken

biologically female. Such Such female. biologically

.” stupid am I “ this: like it puts

Then we learn that all the children are are children the all that learn we Then

which all the people are are people the all which

awayan standards she is substandard. She She substandard. is she standards awayan

this is Russ’s version of utopia. of version Russ’s is this

it’s a civilization in in civilization a it’s

- While by because home, back officer lice

facts we get, which give us the impression impression the us give which get, we facts Whileaway is not utopia; utopia; not is Whileaway

- po a and Earth, to emissary Whileaway’s

teenagers, and so on. These are the early early the are These on. so and teenagers, Russ is here saying, saying, here is Russ

ing story by explaining to Laura that she is is she that Laura to explaining by story ing duel, they wander in the wilderness as as wilderness the in wander they duel,

- shock this of telling the follows Janet aged, they do all the jobs that exist, they they exist, that jobs the all do they aged,

part of internalizing the title of the book. the of title the internalizing of part - discour is love romantic independent, and

anything. Internalizing this message is is message this Internalizing anything. utopia. All the women are above average average above are women the All utopia.

Being human, it could be bad; it could be be could it bad; be could it human, Being taken as a version of a feminist, all-female all-female feminist, a of version a as taken

the system as a whole cuts against itself. itself. against cuts whole a as system the aspects of Whileaway. At first it can be be can it first At Whileaway. of aspects y Cosmic Terror and Innumerable Riches Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow, Tachyon Publications, April 15, 2014, 384 pp., $16.95. reviewed by Usman T. Malik Weird Fiction, especially the myth of ful of authors writing global Lovecraftian The King in Yellow created by Robert W. fiction, but perhaps a grander sweep could Some hallmarks of Chambers, has recently enjoyed a surge in be made in the future.) Lovecraftian stories are mainstream popularity because of a cer- their atmospherics and The standouts, for me, were “Children of their evocation of a tain television show, but the Weird Tale the Fang” by John Langan, “The Same Deep universe bigger and darker itself has been around for a long time. Waters as You” by Brian Hodge, “Black than we could imagine, It owes its modern form to a number as the Pit from Pole to Pole” by Howard which, by virtue of its of practitioners, but early formalization (at Waldrop and Steven Utley, “The Dappled alien mis-structure, is least in the West) seems to have occurred One” by William Spencer Browning, “The 1 essentially indifferent to in the Lovecraft Circle, a group of writ- Bleeding Shadow” by Joe Lansdale, and human existence. ers surrounding a literary icon in horror’s Gemma Files’s creepy poem “Haruspicy.” history, H.P. Lovecraft. So it goes that a That said, it’s a stellar lineup with every reading of Lovecraft’s work is useful to story offering innumerable riches. I’ll sum- understanding and appreciating many fac- marize several that appealed to me. ets of the modern Weird Tale. “Bulldozer,” by Laird Barron is an im- Some hallmarks of Lovecraftian stories mersive Western-Horror novelette about are their atmospherics and their evocation a late Nineteenth Century Pinkerton who of a universe bigger and darker than we comes to town looking for a murderer and could imagine, which, by virtue of its alien Satanist and, in classic noir fashion, finds mis-structure, is essentially indifferent to more than he was looking for. One of the human existence. Lovecraft’s worlds are many things Barron is proficient at is his frequently in conflict with themselves and tangential approach to horror; hints, sugges- with their spatial and temporal laws. In H tions, and clues garnered through our pro- that sense his stories become stories about tagonist’s interrogation of the locals build the relationship between the protagonist 12 an ominous arc with a terrifying conclusion. and his essentially hostile physical and A powerful tale set in Indonesia and psychical environment. riffing off the myth of The Goat with a If you have tried HPL’s fiction and not been drawn into it for whatever rea- Thousand Young (Shub-Niggurath), Na- son, and you’re looking for a contempo- dia Bulkin’s “Red Goat Black Goat” is on rary rendering of his fascinating themes, the surface a story about a destitute wom- an anthology that draws inspiration (and an who seeks employment in an isolated monsters) from his multiverse may be the house on a hilltop. She’s hired to work as next best thing. a maid and nanny for children supposedly protected by the legendary Goat-Nurse; Enter Lovecraft’s Monsters. but, unravel that premise and the story Multi-award winning editor Ellen works rather successfully as a metaphor for Datlo­ w has gathered an impressive array motherhood and its vagaries. It’s an enjoy- of fiction from some of the leading writ- able read in a strong, assured voice. ers of Lovecraftian and Weird Fiction. In Featuring the Cthulhu Mythos Inns- compiling this anthology, Datlow says, she mouth motif, “The Same Deep Waters as wanted to avoid pastiches and recurrently You,” by Brian Hodge, is a highly atmo- reprinted stories, and to present works by spheric story about a woman who faces authors who don’t usually write Lovecraf- her biggest fear head on and is changed tian stories. I believe she has done marvel- forever. The story builds slowly. There is ously by those parameters. a tenderness to the monsters here, which, One deficiency I note is a lack of global nevertheless, doesn’t preclude the reader’s diversity. Besides Nadia Bulkin, all writers feeling of cosmic terror. If anything, it Reviews are Anglo-American or North American, sharpens the story’s gut punch at the end.

and nearly all primary settings Western. The metaphor of imprisonment within

(To be fair, there seem to be only a hand- and without, with jailers sometimes be- n

n

employed are so similar. so are employed in Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne, in

Science Fiction Convention Convention Fiction Science as something by Joanna, the styles styles the Joanna, by something as Man

you changed me. me. changed you

of honor at the 68th World World 68th the at honor of The Female Female The to appended be almost could

much wish I had. I would have said to her, her, to said have would I had. I wish much

2009, and in 2010, was guest guest was 2010, in and 2009,

, which which , God Against Strike On graphical,

but I should have tried anyway. Now I so so I Now anyway. tried have should I but

at the Clarion Workshop in in Workshop Clarion the at

- autobio seems that novel short fine a also

might judge me. Maybe she would have, have, would she Maybe me. judge might

Robinson was an instructor instructor an was Robinson

. There is is There . Moon the of Side Hidden The and

I was a little scared of her, thinking she she thinking her, of scared little a was I Kathmandu. from Escape

, , People Extra(ordinary) Cat, Zanzibar The and and Rain, of Signs Forty my parents, so I probably could have. But But have. could probably I so parents, my

novels; these stories are mostly collected in in collected mostly are stories these novels;

, the Mars trilogy, trilogy, Mars the , Antarctica last decade she lived in the same town as as town same the in lived she decade last

fiction works include include works fiction short fiction, very much of a piece with her her with piece a of much very fiction, short

much her writing meant to me, and in her her in and me, to meant writing her much

Kim Stanley Robinson’s Robinson’s Stanley Kim

There are also three volumes of excellent excellent of volumes three also are There I wanted to meet her and tell her how how her tell and her meet to wanted I

of novels, troubling and unforgettable. and troubling novels, of

gaging and moving. They are the best kind kind best the are They moving. and gaging pondering. She was a great artist. great a was She pondering.

- en also while offensive, and transgressive insight, along with permanent worry and and worry permanent with along insight,

Another shock; really all her novels are are novels her all really shock; Another will give a reader immense pleasure and and pleasure immense reader a give will

that partner and get on with the real work. work. real the with on get and partner that and theory. Really, every book she wrote wrote she book every Really, theory. and

male partner, then it’s appropriate to kill kill to appropriate it’s then partner, male of science fiction and feminist history history feminist and fiction science of

the protagonist finds is the case with her her with case the is finds protagonist the . These are crucial parts parts crucial are These . Seen Never Have

men don’t get with that larger program, as as program, larger that with get don’t men The Country You You Country The and For?, Fighting We Are rate, nothing offhand. nothing rate,

cues, but revolution; and if sympathetic sympathetic if and revolution; but cues, How to Suppress Women’s Writing, What What Writing, Women’s Suppress to How in trivial, nothing second- nothing trivial,

- res individual not is realizes, protagonist lent critic. That work is mostly collected collected mostly is work That critic. lent literature. There is nothing nothing is There literature.

the idea ferociously; what’s needed, this this needed, what’s ferociously; idea the fiction, and in American American in and fiction, - excel an was Russ that true also It’s

bodies of work in science science in work of bodies tion in patriarchy. This time Russ critiques critiques Russ time This patriarchy. in tion sexy and moving. Find it if you can! can! you if it Find moving. and sexy

do. It’s one of the great great the of one It’s do. - situa awful her of out one younger a help Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Bones, is funny and and funny is Bones, and Spock, Mr. Kirk,

we have as much as we we as much as have we Russ theme of an older woman trying to to trying woman older an of theme Russ portraying the sexual relations of Captain Captain of relations sexual the portraying

but we have to feel lucky lucky feel to have we but returns to the frequent frequent the to returns Them of Two The tion written under the name “Janet Alex,” Alex,” “Janet name the under written tion

time. That’s a real loss, loss, real a That’s time. ecological in logic, unromantic in import. import. in unromantic logic, in ecological - fic slash mimeographed the Even offhand.

and wrote little in that that in little wrote and

ing a go of it. This salutary lesson is solidly solidly is lesson salutary This it. of go a ing ing trivial, nothing second-rate, nothing nothing second-rate, nothing trivial, ing 13

in her last three decades, decades, three last her in

- mak and planet another on crash-landing - noth is There literature. American in and

Russ struggled with illness illness with struggled Russ

ishes the idea of a small group of humans humans of group small a of idea the ishes the great bodies of work in science fiction, fiction, science in work of bodies great the i

not that much fiction. fiction. much that not

- demol first The . Them of Two The and To… lucky we have as much as we do. It’s one of of one It’s do. we as much as have we lucky

Taken all together, there’s there’s together, all Taken

We Who Are About About Are Who We novels, more two that ter time. That’s a real loss, but we have to feel feel to have we but loss, real a That’s time.

- af and , Man Female The the came Then last three decades, and wrote little in that that in little wrote and decades, three last

imagination and prose poetry. prose and imagination fiction. Russ struggled with illness in her her in illness with struggled Russ fiction.

an incandescent display of science fiction fiction science of display incandescent an Taken all together, there’s not that much much that not there’s together, all Taken

The Female Man: Female The

Swift Classic (cont. from p. 11) p. from (cont. Classic Swift Lovecraftian stories. Lovecraftian

who don’t usually write write usually don’t who

craftian space opera. The Old Ones and and Ones Old The opera. space craftian Cont. on p. 14 p. on Cont.

present works by authors authors by works present

the town inspires strange dreams, signals signals dreams, strange inspires town the - Love is “Remnants” Chappell’s Fred

reprinted stories, and to to and stories, reprinted

buildings and houses. The very matter of of matter very The houses. and buildings to again and again. again. and again to

pastiches and recurrently recurrently and pastiches

in a strange old town with oddly shaped shaped oddly with town old strange a in

fying tale that I suspect readers will return return will readers suspect I that tale fying she wanted to avoid avoid to wanted she

the Idiot” is about a man who finds himself himself finds who man a about is Idiot” the

- satis and pulpy-yet-original, frightening, anthology, Datlow says, says, Datlow anthology,

ics and a poet of cosmic awe. His “Sect of of “Sect His awe. cosmic of poet a and ics

of Empire. Browning’s story is a funny, funny, a is story Browning’s Empire. of In compiling this this compiling In

- atmospher Lovecraftian of master a is he

tentacled, armored craft named Her Glory Glory Her named craft armored tentacled,

had a cult following for a very good reason: reason: good very a for following cult a had

ing and fighting needs he’s been given a a given been he’s needs fighting and ing

Fiction aficionado will tell you, has long long has you, tell will aficionado Fiction

- travel his for and Addison, Lord one of

Thomas Ligotti’s work, as any Weird Weird any as work, Ligotti’s Thomas

bringing back the eloped granddaughter granddaughter eloped the back bringing

new world. A gripping adventure story. story. adventure gripping A world. new

entrusted with the task of securing and and securing of task the with entrusted

and perhaps meaning in this horrendous horrendous this in meaning perhaps and

crawling with savages. Sir Rudge has been been has Rudge Sir savages. with crawling

and sets the group on a quest for survival survival for quest a on group the sets and

a quest into the heart of a perilous jungle jungle perilous a of heart the into quest a

pathic message, possibly a simplified map, map, simplified a possibly message, pathic

features our hero, Sir Bertram Rudge, on on Rudge, Bertram Sir hero, our features - tele a receives Echo jungle. the in hiding

punk story told in a Victorian voice. It It voice. Victorian a in told story punk telepath, and the group’s dog, Queenie, are are Queenie, dog, group’s the and telepath,

- steam fantastic a is Browning, Spencer of survivors including Echo, an autistic autistic an Echo, including survivors of

“The Dappled Thing,” by William William by Thing,” Dappled “The our world unto “their own image.” A group group A image.” own “their unto world our

my favorite stories, period. stories, favorite my and are transforming the very nature of of nature very the transforming are and

coming the jailed, is quite potent. One of of One potent. quite is jailed, the coming their Shaggoth slaves have invaded Earth Earth invaded have slaves Shaggoth their Cosmic Terror that lead our protagonist to a hellishly ex- John Langan is a master at weaving (cont. from p. 13) traordinary conclusion. Like the chaotic tricky narratives. His nonlinear novelette nature of the deity that the Sect follows, the “Children of the Fang” pieces together story’s structure is also intentionally foggy. sketches from different times in a blind “Black as the Pit from Pole to Pole,” woman’s life and features a mysterious by Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley, is grandfather who in his youth made a star- Frankenstein meets The Lost World meets tling discovery in the Empty Quarter deep Journey to the Center of the Earth meets inside Saudi Arabia’s deserts: an under- Moby Dick meets Lovecraft. I loved this ground city that may or may not be Iram, one. Wonderfully written, with a power- Lovecraftian mythos’s City of Pillars. Bold, ful arc, the novelette is the untold story of atmospheric, and clever, the real power of One deficiency I note is a Frankenstein’s monster’s escape across the this story lies in the histories of both this lack of global diversity.… harsh ice. Ostensibly fleeing his creator’s family and the inhabitants of the sinister but perhaps a grander revenge but really fleeing his own demons, desert city, two fiercely familial narratives sweep could be made in the creature discovers a fantastical lost that Langan brings together seamlessly. the future. world and ends up descending into the in- Stories by Neil Gaiman, Karl Edward terior of a dark and hollow earth. The title Wagner, Nick Mamatas, and Caitlin R. is from William Ernest Henley’s poem Kiernan, and another poem by Gemma “Invictus”; that poem’s title presumably Files are also worthy inclusions in an an- mirrors the unconquerable spirit of our thology sure to please even the most jaded supposedly nonhuman protagonist. This readers. The illustrations by World Fan- is the first time I’ve read a Waldrop/Utley tasy Award winning artist John Coulthart, story, but it won’t be the last. which accompany each story, are a treat in “Waiting at the Crossroads Motel,” by their own right. My appetite is certainly Steve Rasnic Tem, begins as a strange man whetted for more works from these au- The illustrations by World with sentient blood waits at a rundown thors and more anthologies from the edi- Fantasy Award winning motel in the middle of nowhere (but re- tor Ellen Datlow. H artist John Coulthart, ally at a crossroads of worlds) in the com- which accompany each pany of his two strange children and his 1. Lovecraft Circle, H.P. Lovecraft Mythos story, are a treat in their 14 frightened wife. Soon the motel begins Book Club and Reading Group, http:// own right. to fill with peculiar guests, all of whom lovecraftbookclub.wordpress.com/ gaze at the horizon expectantly. A creepy, lovecraft-circle/ Lovecraftian story hinging on a poignant metaphor. Tem’s work always delights with the lyricality of his prose and his ingenious character machinations. My appetite is certainly Joe Lansdale’s “The Bleeding Shadow” whetted for more works is his take on Lovecraft’s “The Music of from these authors and Erich Zann.” It’s a frightening Southern more anthologies from the story about a private eye hired by an es- editor Ellen Datlow. cort to look for her vanished brother, who sent her a record filled with eerie, terrify- ing music. A tightly-paced thriller of a tale with sin and redemption at its core, it gripped me and didn’t let go for a moment. “Haruspicy,” by Gemma Files, is a terri- Usman T. Malik is a fying piece about a nameless teacher beck- Pakistani vagrant camped in oning her pupils, human and inhuman, to Florida. He writes strange gather under the gallows and rip open a stories, likes long walks, hanged man for divination. A reminder and occasionally strums the of how potent and allusive poetry can be, guitar. Stories published it is at once a reflection on human atroci- are in or forthcoming from Strange Horizons, Daily ties and a reminder that our existence is, as

Science Fiction, Pseudopod, and Nabokov says, but a brief crack of light be- other venues. Please find him tween two eternities of darkness. I found

at www.usmanmalik.org. it hard to put this piece out of my mind. n

n

sexual violence violence sexual ienced by enslaved enslaved by ienced ­ exper temporal identity; each story begins with with begins story each identity; temporal

Cont. on p. 17 p. on Cont.

legacies of slavery. Firmly situating the the situating Firmly slavery. of legacies the erasure of specific political, ethnic, and and ethnic, political, specific of erasure the

lected Likenesses” continues to explore the the explore to continues Likenesses” lected grief. This shared past is not built around around built not is past shared This grief.

- “Col Hatley’s Jamey away, cities and later with secret histories of survival, hope, and and hope, survival, of histories secret with

might be better than his mine. Set decades decades Set mine. his than better be might connecting itself to a shared past filled filled past shared a to itself connecting

warns them that the slavecatchers’ dogs dogs slavecatchers’ the that them warns multiple storytellers while simultaneously simultaneously while storytellers multiple

“[sold] his heart for freedom” (25) and who who and (25) freedom” for heart his “[sold] itself towards a radical future featuring featuring future radical a towards itself

who who — laboration, and resistance; one that orients orients that one resistance; and laboration, for shelter, they appeal to Free Jim Free to appeal they shelter, for

- col oppression, of histories ongoing from tuary promised by the Quakers. Desperate Desperate Quakers. the by promised tuary survival, hope, and grief. and hope, survival,

tory and magic. It’s an anthology emergent emergent anthology an It’s magic. and tory - sanc the and Carolina North towards ing with secret histories of of histories secret with

- his about anthology an just not is This - head master, Lottie’s from escape William itself to a shared past filled filled past shared a to itself

. are Hidden Long trauma. Pregnant Lottie and her husband husband her and Lottie Pregnant trauma. simultaneously connecting connecting simultaneously

politics framing the publication of of publication the framing politics logical by Tananarive Due explores collective collective explores Due Tananarive by multiple storytellers while while storytellers multiple

radical future featuring featuring future radical genea­ and archival, authorial, editorial, tive action and memory, “Free Jim’s Mine” Mine” Jim’s “Free memory, and action tive

orients itself towards a a towards itself orients important to highlight how deliberate the the deliberate how highlight to important - collec on centers which “Ogres,” Unlike

and resistance; one that that one resistance; and ship. I mention all this because I think it’s it’s think I because this all mention I ship. ficial record. record. ficial

oppression, collaboration, collaboration, oppression, - Scholar Memorial Butler E. Octavia the - of this into encoded publicly and margins

from ongoing histories of of histories ongoing from Carl Brandon Society, and a recipient of of recipient a and Society, Brandon Carl and myth are simultaneously hidden in the the in hidden simultaneously are myth and

anthology emergent emergent anthology SFF workshop, an active member of the the of member active an workshop, SFF Alibhai’s reflections on identity, history, history, identity, on reflections Alibhai’s

and magic. It’s an an It’s magic. and

kaja (“Medu”) is a graduate of the Clarion Clarion the of graduate a is (“Medu”) kaja rial exploitation is always a political act. act. political a always is exploitation rial

anthology about history history about anthology

- Bole Lisa Lynn). S. and Brown Shanáe - impe and anti-blackness of midst the in

This is not just an an just not is This

ly career and first-sales writers (including (including writers first-sales and career ly lustrate how claiming an African identity identity African an claiming how lustrate

- ear to Okorafor) Nnedi and Due nanarive - il and identity pan-African of story a tell

- Ta (including writers established from smudges from [Alibhai’s] dirty hands” (1), (1), hands” dirty [Alibhai’s] from smudges

ers. These contributors span the gamut gamut the span contributors These ers. Alibhai’s employer assumes are “fly-tracks, “fly-tracks, are assumes employer Alibhai’s

- dream writers/readers/activist 27 of crew displacement. Ultimately, these notes, what what notes, these Ultimately, displacement.

stream authors, Fox and Older assembled a a assembled Older and Fox authors, stream to himself as a product of Britain’s colonial colonial Britain’s of product a as himself to 15

- non-main and non-traditional to outreach ogres, connecting their evolving histories histories evolving their connecting ogres,

tion guidelines designed to emphasize their their emphasize to designed guidelines tion cataloguer, reflects on the stories of these these of stories the on reflects cataloguer, i

- solicita and format anthology the Using tiary, Alibhai, the expedition organizer and and organizer expedition the Alibhai, tiary,

“literary resistance” (ii). (ii). resistance” “literary - bes this of edges the In ogres. hunt to fari

resistance” (ii). resistance” critical utility of the anthology as an act of of act an as anthology the of utility critical - sa on going with obsessed man British a

as an act of “literary “literary of act an as guidelines is a burning commitment to the the to commitment burning a is guidelines the writing of a bestiary commissioned by by commissioned bestiary a of writing the

utility of the anthology anthology the of utility cussion of editorial policy and submission submission and policy editorial of cussion East Africa” by Sofia Samatar, centers on on centers Samatar, Sofia by Africa” East

commitment to the critical critical the to commitment - dis lively a in embedded interesting; larly and ephemera, the first story, “Ogres of of “Ogres story, first the ephemera, and

guidelines is a burning burning a is guidelines - particu is last This process. funding and insistence on the importance of marginalia marginalia of importance the on insistence

policy and submission submission and policy

on Twitter), and an outline of its editorial editorial its of outline an and Twitter), on tity, and love. Highlighting the project’s project’s the Highlighting love. and tity,

discussion of editorial editorial of discussion

organized by Cassandra Taylor (@p0ppet (@p0ppet Taylor Cassandra by organized - iden loss, of questions human innately ing

…embedded in a lively lively a in …embedded

tion between activist lovers of genre fiction, fiction, genre of lovers activist between tion - explor voices unique and place, and time

- conversa Twitter public a as origins earliest balance between being products of their their of products being between balance

including mention of the connections to its its to connections the of mention including and feature narrators who strike a delicate delicate a strike who narrators feature and

phasizes that the work involved is ongoing, ongoing, is involved work the that phasizes and era to era, are meticulously researched, researched, meticulously are era, to era and

- em also It project. the of nature laborative These move from continent to continent continent to continent from move These

- col the emphasizes Older, and Fox both threaded through each of its short stories. stories. short its of each through threaded

introduction, collaboratively written by by written collaboratively introduction, commitment to collective resistance is is resistance collective to commitment

tween activist lovers of genre fiction. The The fiction. genre of lovers activist tween ’s political and editorial editorial and political ’s Hidden Long

- be (i) book” a became that idea an became tions for further reading. further for tions

fiction emerged from a “discussion that that “discussion a from emerged fiction - sugges and bibliography a provide thor

This anthology of historical speculative speculative historical of anthology This - au each that asked guidelines submission

began as a labor of love. love. of labor a as began Hidden Long the date and place of its setting, and the the and setting, its of place and date the

eviewed r Velazquez Maria by

Crossed Genres Publications, May 2014, 363 pp., $19.95. pp., 363 2014, May Publications, Genres Crossed

edited by Rose Fox and Daniel José Older, Older, José Daniel and Fox Rose by edited Hidden, Long

he Anthology as Literary Resistance Literary as Anthology he T y y A Song of Andrea Hairston Lonely Stardust: Two Plays, a Speech, and Eight Essays, by Andrea Hairston, Aqueduct Press, June 2014, 344 pp., $20. reviewed by Adrian Khactu

There is a fierce intelligence pulsing The last essay, “Stories are More Im- through Andrea Hairston’s latest collec- portant than Facts,” is certainly Hairston’s From one of the opening tion. The title, Lonely Stardust: Two Plays, a pièce de résistance. While explicating essays, a praise song Speech, and Eight Essays, certainly suggests Guillermo del Toro’s fantastical and real- for Octavia Butler, to ist Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Hairston shows an ending call-to-arms diversity in prose and genre, yet each piece how stories are indeed more important speech that is a must- resonates with Hairston’s acuity and am- than “truth.” Story is how we order the read for any writer who bition. From one of the opening essays, a feels marginalized, all of praise song for Octavia Butler, to an end- universe. Story is how we give our lives, Hairston’s voices cohere ing call-to-arms speech that is a must-read in all their brutality and banality and and sing together a for any writer who feels marginalized, all hopes, meaning. This essay demands close medley of what science of Hairston’s voices cohere and sing to- and careful reading. But it also articulates fiction can be. gether a medley of what science fiction something that all of us writers and read- can be. ers have always known in our bones. Sto- She begins with eight essays that dem- ries are power. Stories are magic. And this onstrate how academic prose should be magic can change the world. written: both witty and trenchant, featur- I’m not gonna lie. ing whipsmart turns that delight even as Though this is heady and intoxicating academic writing at its finest, it certainly they provoke. Each essay connects popular helps to have been introduced to liter- culture with critical theory, cleaving away ary and cultural theorists like Said, But- easy film analysis to unearth shocking and ler, Brecht, and Fanon. It will also help if persuasive readings. H you’ve heard of performance studies, queer “Disappearing Natives: The Colonized theory, and postcolonial criticism. Hair- Body is Monstrous” starts with a series of 16 ston uses words in unusual and foreign rhetorical questions that incorporate post- ways, defamiliarizing and deconstructing colonial negritude, Orientalist monstros- your standard summer popcorn flick into ity, and disability studies to examine Source a gleaming and glorious mess. Code (2011), the Jake Gyllenhaal time- But isn’t this what the pleasure of read- travel/quantum-physics action movie. ing science fiction is all about? To take Hairston dizzyingly Hairston dizzyingly deconstructs this film the familiar and extrapolate the beautiful deconstructs this film to explore how science fiction offers a sub- and strange? To use the words around us to explore how science versive resistance to hegemonic construc- in staggering combinations? To push us fiction offers a subversive tions of identity (and bad military guys). beyond our comfort zone and into the fu- resistance to hegemonic Hairston’s other essays are equally pro- ture? Yes, everyone should read these es- constructions of identity pulsive, bobbing and weaving through, says — quickly, urgently — and appreciate (and bad military guys). among many other concepts, Brechtian what prose like Hairston’s makes possible. performance, contemporary African real­ I’m not gonna lie. politik, and radical identity politics. She The bulk of the book consists of two Though this is heady and savages the leering misogynistic pleasures plays, “Hummingbird Flying Backward” intoxicating academic in Strange Days (1995), while convincingly and the titular “Lonely Stardust,” that writing at its finest, it re-centering the movie around the woe- suffer in comparison to Hairston’s radi- certainly helps to have fully underused Angela Bassett. She lov- ant essays. Less realist dramas than idea- been introduced to literary ingly posits the central robot romance of driven performance pieces, both are the and cultural theorists Pixar’s WALL-E (2008) as revolutionary, type of plays in which exceedingly hyper-­ like Said, Butler, Brecht, connecting it to the long legacy of Marxist articulate characters ruminate about Life. and Fanon. It will also worker robots, starting with Čapek’s RUR. And Aliens. And The Future. help if you’ve heard of And she translates the Nigerian govern- In “Hummingbird,” what might appear performance studies, queer ment’s ban of the movie District 9 (2009), a conventional set-up for a police-proce-

theory, and postcolonial set in South Africa, into an urgent discus- dural — a group of diverse adults taking­

criticism. sion of whiteness, alien-ness, and privilege. refuge from a shooter in a random video n

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battle against the Spanish and culminates culminates and Spanish the against battle Academia.edu page. Academia.edu

passion behind their craft. their behind passion

of the Conquest” tells the story of his last last his of story the tells Conquest” the of reviews can be found on her her on found be can reviews

reflect the power of these voices and the the and voices these of power the reflect

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K’antel, an albino and a witch’s apprentice, apprentice, witch’s a and albino an K’antel,

literacy, social justice, and and justice, social literacy, - publica Its SFF. in identities marginalized

lias’s “The Dance of the White Demons,” Demons,” White the of Dance “The lias’s

research interests include include interests research contribution to ongoing conversations on on conversations ongoing to contribution

- Vourvou Sabrina In actors. historical of Maryland, College Park. Her Her Park. College Maryland,

a movement fostered by social media, a a media, social by fostered movement a

candidate at University of of University at candidate

ries of resistances erases multiple types types multiple erases resistances of ries

origins: a conversation begun on Twitter, Twitter, on begun conversation a origins:

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strangers in strange lands. Instead, these these Instead, lands. strange in strangers

during which Slavic immigrants fought fought immigrants Slavic which during

strange lands. lands. strange about lone wolves, rootless travelers, or or travelers, rootless wolves, lone about

focuses on the 1897 Lattimer Massacre, Massacre, Lattimer 1897 the on focuses travelers, or strangers in in strangers or travelers, to the story itself. These are not stories stories not are These itself. story the to

ample, Sunny Moraine’s “Across the Seam” Seam” the “Across Moraine’s Sunny ample, about lone wolves, rootless rootless wolves, lone about whose wellbeing and survival are central central are survival and wellbeing whose

- ex For heroism. about critically think to itself. These are not stories stories not are These itself. tales are located in vibrant communities communities vibrant in located are tales

are central to the story story the to central are a collection that also challenges the reader reader the challenges also that collection a plagues SFF. Instead, the narrators of these these of narrators the Instead, SFF. plagues

wellbeing and survival survival and wellbeing

identity, and survival are positioned within within positioned are survival and identity, the “Chosen One” mythos that so often often so that mythos One” “Chosen the

vibrant communities whose whose communities vibrant

These reflections on blackness, African African blackness, on reflections These anthology whose contributors reject reject contributors whose anthology

these tales are located in in located are tales these

with and against them. against and with is a consciously edited edited consciously a is Hidden Long

Instead, the narrators of of narrators the Instead,

these histories and the subject navigating navigating subject the and histories these

survival through symbol, myth, and story. story. and myth, symbol, through survival

that so often plagues SFF. SFF. plagues often so that

Likenesses” is both the object trapped by by trapped object the both is Likenesses”

forbidden history” (355), and on cultural cultural on and (355), history” forbidden

“Chosen One” mythos mythos One” “Chosen

of second person. The “you” of “Collected “Collected of “you” The person. second of

on “women heroes…who speak aloud the the aloud speak heroes…who “women on

contributors reject the the reject contributors

are emphasized through the author’s use use author’s the through emphasized are

men whose dance “demands justice” (356), (356), justice” “demands dance whose men

anthology whose whose anthology

17

going complexities of this shared legacy legacy shared this of complexities going girls who assemble an army made of corn corn of made army an assemble who girls

consciously edited edited consciously

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where rape, secrets, and shame continue to to continue shame and secrets, rape, where - de Vourvoulias death, Umám’s on cusing

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(cont. from p. 15) p. from (cont.

The Anthology as Literary Resistance Literary as Anthology The

student of Samuel Delany. Samuel of student

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from Stanford and Temple Temple and Stanford from stage devices, emotion certainly resonates resonates certainly emotion devices, stage pelling possible future for science fiction. science for future possible pelling

creative writing degrees degrees writing creative them. But despite some oddly distancing distancing oddly some despite But them. - com a conjures that song praise a even Or

in Philadelphia. He holds holds He Philadelphia. in

formed is more satisfying than reading reading than satisfying more is formed what we want in our genre comfort food. food. comfort genre our in want we what

lives, studies, and works works and studies, lives,

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Adrian Khactu currently currently Khactu Adrian

temptation. that asks us to think beyond what science science what beyond think to us asks that

a former drug user still struggling with with struggling still user drug former a a provocation provocation a Stardust Lonely Consider

a CVS; and July, in “Lonely Stardust,” is is Stardust,” “Lonely in July, and CVS; a invites you to join the song she weaves. weaves. she song the join to you invites

Tangella, a pregnant teenager working at at working teenager pregnant a Tangella, liance of her essays, Hairston’s writing still still writing Hairston’s essays, her of liance

join the song she weaves. weaves. she song the join

grim situations: “Hummingbird” features features “Hummingbird” situations: grim - bril the by eclipsed slightly are plays her

writing still invites you to to you invites still writing

“save the universe” are women of color in in color of women are universe” the “save relentlessly and breathlessly. And though though And breathlessly. and relentlessly

of her essays, Hairston’s Hairston’s essays, her of

who must make the critical decisions to to decisions critical the make must who ence fiction that pushes its boundaries so so boundaries its pushes that fiction ence eclipsed by the brilliance brilliance the by eclipsed

SFF male hero-fantasies, as the characters characters the as hero-fantasies, male SFF - sci on work academic seen haven’t We it. her plays are slightly slightly are plays her

world beyond. Both plays neatly challenge challenge neatly plays Both beyond. world read. Yet I am pleased and invigorated by by invigorated and pleased am I Yet read. breathlessly. And though though And breathlessly.

hir search for an Earthling to take into the the into take to Earthling an for search hir re-readings), this collection is a harder harder a is collection this re-readings), so relentlessly and and relentlessly so

riddled urban neighborhood and narrates narrates and neighborhood urban riddled wearing my library’s copies ragged through through ragged copies library’s my wearing that pushes its boundaries boundaries its pushes that

work on science fiction fiction science on work dust,” a gender-fluid alien lands in a drug- a in lands alien gender-fluid a dust,” (definitely (definitely Wildfire and Redwood and scape

We haven’t seen academic academic seen haven’t We - Star “Lonely In song. of power the and Mind­ novels Hairston’s adored I While

of time-traveling gods, faith in humanity, humanity, in faith gods, time-traveling of both plays achieve a kind of polyphony. of kind a achieve plays both

evolves into a choreographed dance dance choreographed a into evolves — store nies and add overtones to the staging; and and staging; the to overtones add and nies y Resistance as Duty to Self Kantianism, Liberalism, and Feminism: Resisting Oppression, by Carol Hay, Palgrave Macmillan, July 2013, 216 pp., $85. reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore

Should women resist sexual harassment are a member of a group that has a rela- and other forms of oppression? tive lack of social power, if another group Yes, says Carol Hay, a philosophy profes- benefits from the harm, and if the harm is sor at the University of Massachusetts, in [The author’s] argument unfair or unearned. is based on the work of her book Kantianism, Liberalism, and Fem­ Hay also points out that the harm of Immanuel Kant, who inism: Resisting Oppression. People have “a oppression is not necessarily intention- said in The Metaphysics duty of self-respect to resist their own op- al — a fruitful analysis in a world in which of Morals and other pression” (p. viii). Her argument is based on privileged groups are often unaware of the works that people have the work of Immanuel Kant, who said in problems faced by others. She writes: The Metaphysics of Morals and other works a duty to themselves to But in the more usual case, oppres- resist attacks on their that people have a duty to themselves to sive harms are not the result of the reason. According to this resist attacks on their reason. According to theory, oppression is an this theory, oppression is an attack on one’s intentional actions of an individual attack on one’s reason — reason — one’s rational self — and therefore person. Instead, they are the unin- one’s rational self — and should not be per­ mitted. tentional result of an interrelated therefore should not be Kant, Hay points out, was no feminist. system of social norms and institu- permitted. However, she asserts that it is possible to tions, or of the implicit biases held “ignore Kant’s sexism” — which was based even by those individuals who con- in part on the social milieu in which he sider themselves to be egalitarian. lived — and “translate his claims into (p. 9) gender-­neutral language” (p. 51). She re- I found Hay’s discussion of oppression H jects arguments against Kant based on his provided a useful framework for respond- idea that the rational self should take pre- ing to those who argue that privileged 18 cedence over the emotional. Such a stance groups can be oppressed. It’s not that she is not a shortcoming, she writes, “because is saying something new, but rather that conflicts between the demands of reason she is saying it in a clear fashion and sup- and the emotions will arise only when our porting it with arguments based on well- emotions are telling us to do something thought-out philosophy. immoral” (p. 59). At all other times, she ar- Under Hay’s definition, oppression re- gues, rationality and the emotions will be quires four things. It occurs when a person in sync. is subjected to unjust harm (1) because of According to Hay, what makes Kant membership in a group that has a relative According to Hay, what unique among philosophers is his empha- lack of esteem or power (2), and when makes Kant unique sis on the duty to the self, particularly the members of another group benefit from among philosophers is his duty of self respect. Protection of our ra- that harm (3) in an unfair way (4) (p. 6). emphasis on the duty to tional nature requires this duty, according the self, particularly the to Kant. And it is this duty of self respect To explain the systemic effects of sexist duty of self respect.… that leads Hay to apply Kant to feminism, oppression, Hay uses the birdcage analogy And it is this duty of self and specifically to sexual harassment. first set out by Marilyn Frye in her book respect that leads Hay to And she does this in an excellent man- The Politics of Reality. Frye writes, “[I]f you apply Kant to feminism, ner, providing detailed arguments as to only ever look at a birdcage one wire at a and specifically to sexual why women in particular should resist ill- time you will never see how such a struc- harassment. treatment. Her thesis can easily be adapt- ture could limit the mobility of its occu- ed to cover oppression directed at other pant” (p. 7). I found this very compelling. groups besides women. As Hay points out, any one action — a Hay begins her book with a detailed dis- catcall, a dirty joke, an exclusion from an cussion of oppression, concluding that it is opportunity — can seem inconsequential “a form of injustice that concerns groups” when taken by itself. When we pay atten-

(p. 4). Individuals are harmed by oppres- tion to them, we see the way these harms

sion if they are treated badly because they work systemically and understand the im- n

n

munity have been particularly noteworthy. noteworthy. particularly been have munity California.

- com fiction science the within sponses Austin, Texas, and Oakland, Oakland, and Texas, Austin,

Book View Café. She lives in in lives She Café. View Book - re and incidents of series A kinds. all of

both available from from available both Futures, back against harassment and ill-treatment ill-treatment and harassment against back

Contradiction and Other Other and Contradiction

past year in which women are fighting fighting are women which in year past

Walking Walking and Forest Ardent

observed a number of instances over the the over instances of number a observed

recent works of fiction are are fiction of works recent

sisting oppression is well-timed. I have have I well-timed. is oppression sisting gender issues. Her two most most two Her issues. gender

- re for argument philosophical Hay’s frequently writes essays on on essays writes frequently

ness to deal with an unpleasant situation. unpleasant an with deal to ness Nancy Jane Moore Moore Jane Nancy

- unwilling an simply not inappropriate, and

awareness that the harassment was unjust unjust was harassment the that awareness

But it should be real resistance, with an an with resistance, real be should it But

action, particularly in dangerous situations. situations. dangerous in particularly action,

oppression is acceptable in place of direct direct of place in acceptable is oppression

Hay does note that internal resistance to to resistance internal that note does Hay

does not relieve women from theirs. from women relieve not does

106). But the fact that others have a duty duty a have others that fact the But 106).

a moral obligation to fight injustice” (p. (p. injustice” fight to obligation moral a

do not resist patriarchy are neglecting neglecting are patriarchy resist not do

oppression. “Make no mistake: those who who those mistake: no “Make oppression.

are excused from a duty to resist sexist sexist resist to duty a from excused are

Nor is she arguing that bystanders bystanders that arguing she is Nor

done to them. them. to done appear to be small slights. small be to appear

women must address the harms that are are that harms the address must women of resisting even what what even resisting of

(p. 106). And to protect their autonomy, autonomy, their protect to And 106). (p. understand the importance importance the understand

systemically and and systemically obligations are obligations nonetheless” nonetheless” obligations are obligations

way these harms work work harms these way 19 to resist harassment is unfair. “But unfair unfair “But unfair. is harassment resist to

to them, we see the the see we them, to acknowledges that an obligation for them them for obligation an that acknowledges dience and price them accordingly. them price and dience

When we pay attention attention pay we When i en are not at fault for harassment, Hay Hay harassment, for fault at not are en - au wider a to interest of are works their of

when taken by itself. itself. by taken when

- wom that Given blaming. victim of form academic presses would realize that many many that realize would presses academic

can seem inconsequential inconsequential seem can

Hay’s argument for resistance is not a a not is resistance for argument Hay’s for the hardback, as noted above. I wish wish I above. noted as hardback, the for

from an opportunity an from — —

$68 for the Kindle edition and more more and edition Kindle the for $68 — sive

will learn that women aren’t easy targets. targets. easy aren’t women that learn will

dirty joke, an exclusion exclusion an joke, dirty

- expen is book this press, academic an by

more women fight back, the more harassers harassers more the back, fight women more

one action one a catcall, a a catcall, a —

deciding to buy it. Because it’s published published it’s Because it. buy to deciding

Or, to put it in the martial arts context: the the context: arts martial the in it put to Or,

As Hay points out, any any out, points Hay As

should check their library for a copy before before copy a for library their check should

them reason to care. (p. 102) (p. care. to reason them

underpinnings of feminism, but readers readers but feminism, of underpinnings

perpetual confrontation might give give might confrontation perpetual

for anyone interested in philosophical philosophical in interested anyone for

not care, the response can be that that be can response the care, not

I would, in fact, recommend the book book the recommend fact, in would, I

iour is inappropriate, but simply do do simply but inappropriate, is iour

no difficulty in following Hay’s arguments. arguments. Hay’s following in difficulty no

- behav this know already harassers

age reader. I have not read Kant, but I had had I but Kant, read not have I reader. age

To those who would object that that object would who those To

- aver the to accessible language in so does

such behaviour was inappropriate. inappropriate. was behaviour such

complex philosophical ideas in detail, it it detail, in ideas philosophical complex

ers would soon get the message that that message the get soon would ers

thought-out philosophy. thought-out phy courses. Although the book discusses discusses book the Although courses. phy

- harass confronted, were rassment

arguments based on well- on based arguments - philoso in as well as classes studies gender

- ha of cases most, even or all, if For and supporting it with with it supporting and

would highly recommend it for use in in use for it recommend highly would

it in a clear fashion fashion clear a in it

tolerated. As Hay puts it: puts Hay As tolerated. able tool in support of such resistance. I I resistance. such of support in tool able

rather that she is saying saying is she that rather

harassers that their behavior will not be be not will behavior their that harassers - valu a is book Hay’s well. as world larger

something new, but but new, something

to harassment will eventually teach the the teach eventually will harassment to

This resistance has been visible in the the in visible been has resistance This

It’s not that she is saying saying is she that not It’s

Kant and other philosophers: Responding Responding philosophers: other and Kant have been refusing to sit down and shut up. shut up. and down sit to refusing been have

groups can be oppressed. oppressed. be can groups

in martial arts rather than from a study of of study a from than rather arts martial in — — of some men who understand the issues the understand who men some of

argue that privileged privileged that argue

self, though I come at it from years spent spent years from it at come I though self, with the support support the with — ers of America, women America, of ers

responding to those who who those to responding

- my made often have I that argument an - Writ Fantasy and Fiction Science the by

a useful framework for for framework useful a

of resisting sexual harassment, Hay makes makes Hay harassment, sexual resisting of nasty infighting over publication changes changes publication over infighting nasty

of oppression provided provided oppression of

In her core argument on the obligation obligation the on argument core her In in (rooted in both gender and race) to the the to race) and gender both in (rooted in

I found Hay’s discussion discussion Hay’s found I

be small slights. slights. small be - Jemis N.K. on attacks vicious the to tions

portance of resisting even what appear to to appear what even resisting of portance - accusa girl” geek “fake absurd the From y Coming of Age in Alpennia Daughter of Mystery, by Heather Rose Jones, Bella Books, February 2014, 246 pp., $12.96. reviewed by Liz Bourke

Perhaps one day I’ll no longer find it mystery of the constructed religious mir- startling to read a fantasy novel — a satis- acle. It also involves secrets, inheritances, fying one, a well-written one — that takes conflicts of manners, and treason. as its central concern a romance between Barbara is armin to the wealthy, ill, and women. Prominent friendships between eccentric Baron Saveze, and she is also women in works of speculative fiction are his indentured servant. Margarit Sovitre far from ubiquitous. Romances? That’s a is Saveze’s goddaughter. Neither of them whole different animal, and one that’s still have yet reached their twentieth birthday. interestingly transgressive. Male sexuality When Saveze dies, he unexpectedly leaves is constructed as normal, as normative; the his entire unentailed fortune to Margarit, male gaze pervades visual media. A love to spite his unpleasant wastrel nephew Es- story without a man in it remains power- tefen. But the bequest comes with a con- fully subversive. dition: Margarit must take Barbara (who Much as, from a personal perspective, I anticipated receiving her freedom and a might wish it didn’t. bequest to make her way in the world) into Daughter of Mystery is the debut novel of her household until they both have reached California author Heather Rose Jones. Set their majorities at the age of twenty-one. in a post-Napoleonic Wars Ruritania — Neither of them is quite at ease with Alpennia, an invented country that seems the new state of affairs. Margarit has the Prominent friendships to be bordered by Austria and Italy — it funds to go her own way, but until she between women in works has something of the flavor of a Regency reaches her majority, she is still subject to of speculative fiction romance, albeit one with differences from her guardians’ oversight. They want her to H are far from ubiquitous. England in the declining years of George marry well, while Margarit would prefer Romances? That’s a whole IV. In Alpennia, important aristocrats and not to marry at all, and devote herself to different animal, and one 20 wealthy types are entitled to keep an ar­ studying. Barbara takes refuge in her du- that’s still interestingly min — a bodyguard/duellist — in their ser- ties as an armin, but soon comes to feel transgressive. vice, for protection, and to settle affairs of more than professional loyalty for her em- honor, an element that brings to mind as ployer. In Alpennia’s capital city, Rotenek, much Ellen Kushner’s Swordspoint novels Margarit discovers in herself a talent for as Europe in the late 18th or early 19th constructed miracles. Barbara, on the other ­century. hand, is pursued and assaulted by men who In the Christianity A second important difference is the threaten her with a secret connected to the current in Alpennia, it aspect of Daughter of Mystery that makes parents she doesn’t remember. As Barbara is possible — with the it a fantasy novel instead of a Ruritanian tries to discover this secret, Margarit be- right rituals, the right romance: the religion of Alpennia (or per- comes part of a mystery guild working symbolism, and the right haps of Europe as a whole) is a slightly on building their own miracle — but what prayers — to produce a different version of Christianity than any Margarit doesn’t realize is that the mira- constructed “miracle,” of the denominations with which we’re cle she’s helping to construct is aimed at although very few people can reliably tell when, or familiar from history. In the Christianity treason, and Saveze’s nephew intends to whether, such a miracle current in Alpennia, it is possible — with make sure she — and Barbara — take the has taken place.… the right rituals, the right symbolism, and blame. Forced to go into hiding until they the right prayers — to produce a construct- can speak for themselves, they realize that ed “miracle,” although very few people clearing their names will require Mar- can reliably tell when, or whether, such a garit’s honesty and the truth of the secret miracle has taken place, and until recently from Barbara’s past. And the revelation Daughter of Mystery is a studying the predictability of miracles of that secret, and its consequences, will romance and a coming-of- came under a certain amount of suspicion change the slowly-blossoming relationship age story.… for heresy. between the pair. Daughter of Mystery is a romance and a This is a strong debut. It seems even

coming-of-age story that involves both the stronger by comparison to the major-

Alpennian custom of the armin and the ity of queer/lesbian romance novels in n

n

- desper acceptability and invisibility the palpable presence is hinted at, at, hinted is presence palpable uggested, uggested, ­ s

Cont. on p. 22 p. on Cont.

but Bay has some definite obstacles to to obstacles definite some has Bay but protagonist, it would be these secrets, whose whose secrets, these be would it protagonist,

co-protagonist. Sixteen is a difficult age for anyone, anyone, for age difficult a is Sixteen crets. And honestly, if the novel had a third third a had novel the if honestly, And crets.

well-drawn teenage teenage well-drawn woman-witch trope. woman-witch - se shared by apart kept and together bound

poignant and exceptionally exceptionally and poignant stereotypical chick-littiness of the wise- the of chick-littiness stereotypical no other reason than that they have been been have they that than reason other no

soars, and Rickert creates a a creates Rickert and soars, sonality would otherwise dictate with the the with dictate otherwise would sonality Mavis accept Nan’s invitation, perhaps for for perhaps invitation, Nan’s accept Mavis

witchery, the language language the witchery,

- per my than patient more was I that light honey from the local sheriff. Ruthie and and Ruthie sheriff. local the from honey

with the clichéd kitchen kitchen clichéd the with

- de a such is novel non-YA a in teenager reaction to a seemingly innocent gift of of gift innocent seemingly a to reaction

reader takes umbrage umbrage takes reader

pepper our cultural vocabulary. But a solid solid a But vocabulary. cultural our pepper - over apparent Nan’s by prompted unite

botany. Though this this Though botany.

and more authentic teenaged characters characters teenaged authentic more and - re they and another, one from estranged

ghosts, and gratuitous gratuitous and ghosts,

young adult fiction renaissance, and more more and renaissance, fiction adult young Nan, Ruthie, and Mavis have long been been long have Mavis and Ruthie, Nan,

thin mystery, garden garden mystery, thin

tion. These days, we’ve entered a great great a entered we’ve days, These tion. Nan’s childhood friends. friends. childhood Nan’s

predictable, with a veil- a with predictable,

- fic adult in treat rare a flesh: as real as is porarily widened with the visit of two of of two of visit the with widened porarily

witchy and a little little a and witchy

code-switching between girl and woman woman and girl between code-switching - tem is world tiny pair’s the as even action, magical realist story…: story…: realist magical

Bay Singer is sixteen, and her awkward awkward her and sixteen, is Singer Bay Nan, it is Bay whose presence drives the the drives presence whose Bay is it Nan, a tender, sentimental sentimental tender, a

ally well-drawn teenage co-protagonist. teenage well-drawn ally tric, and while we spend more time with with time more spend we while and tric, is… is… Garden Memory The

- exception and poignant a creates Rickert - eccen just than rather witch a indeed, is,

kitchen witchery, the language soars, and and soars, language the witchery, kitchen Bay isn’t entirely convinced her mother mother her convinced entirely isn’t Bay

this reader takes umbrage with the clichéd clichéd the with umbrage takes reader this warned again and again to avoid after dark. after avoid to again and again warned

den ghosts, and gratuitous botany. Though Though botany. gratuitous and ghosts, den by dangerous woods, which Bay has been been has Bay which woods, dangerous by

- gar mystery, veil-thin a with predictable, townies have tossed at them, hemmed in in hemmed them, at tossed have townies

Addison Allen flavor: witchy and a little little a and witchy flavor: Allen Addison littered with planters made from the shoes shoes the from made planters with littered

ist story of the Alice Hoffman and Sarah Sarah and Hoffman Alice the of story ist changeling story). The two inhabit a house house a inhabit two The story). changeling

- real magical sentimental tender, a It’s and so invoking the appropriate magical magical appropriate the invoking so and

is a startling departure. departure. startling a is Garden Memory The an infant in a shoebox upon her doorstep, doorstep, her upon shoebox a in infant an

slightly altered nom-de-plume M. Rickert), Rickert), M. nom-de-plume altered slightly mother, Nan, a witch (having been left as as left been (having witch a Nan, mother,

21

ert’s horror (written, usually, under the the under usually, (written, horror ert’s and seventeen. She lives with her adoptive adoptive her with lives She seventeen. and

- Rick Mary with familiar us of those For ately desired by those between thirteen thirteen between those by desired ately i

Gussoff Caren by eviewed r

by Mary Rickert, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2014, 304 pp., $14.99. pp., 304 2014, Landmark, Sourcebooks Rickert, Mary by Garden, Memory The

auldrons and Gratuitous Botany Gratuitous and auldrons C y

very well. But that pacing grows uneven uneven grows pacing that But well. very

lationships and conflicts of manners works works manners of conflicts and lationships forward to seeing Jones mature as a writer. a as mature Jones seeing to forward

Writer.

- re interpersonal to tension the of part er building and strong characterization: I look look I characterization: strong and building

Hugo Award for Best Fan Fan Best for Award Hugo

- great the entrust and measured pacing the triguing romance, with interesting world- interesting with romance, triguing

She is nominated for a 2014 2014 a for nominated is She

For the most part, Jones’s choice to keep keep to choice Jones’s part, most the For - in An debut. promising very a is Mystery

Award for Best Non-Fiction. Non-Fiction. Best for Award

gives me a great deal of pleasure. of deal great a me gives Daughter of of Daughter however, aside, flaws These nominated for the BSFA BSFA the for nominated

primarily scholarly. It’s something that that something It’s scholarly. primarily sary. Tor.com. In 2014, she was was she 2014, In Tor.com.

With Monsters column at at column Monsters With in a historic context whose ambitions are are ambitions whose context historic a in - unneces entirely is epilogue brief The

Liz Bourke writes the Sleeps Sleeps the writes Bourke Liz sonal bias, I’m really happy to see a woman woman a see to happy really I’m bias, sonal resolved without a great deal of fuss. of deal great a without resolved

- per of matter a as and — even inevitable even with each other very well, and is eventually eventually is and well, very other each with

seems entirely appropriate and natural, natural, and appropriate entirely seems neither of the women are communicating communicating are women the of neither

contexts. The relationship between them them between relationship The contexts. This tension is maintained by the fact that that fact the by maintained is tension This

feel appropriately like the products of their their of products the like appropriately feel Barbara and Margarit’s happy ending. ending. happy Margarit’s and Barbara

have distinct personalities and and personalities distinct have — acters their respective stations will interfere with with interfere will stations respective their

- char minor other, the and — and Margarit and which it appears that political matters and and matters political that appears it which

characterization…. of a weakness for those things. Barbara Barbara things. those for weakness a of followed by an extended dénouement, in in dénouement, extended an by followed

building and strong strong and building cise, telling description. I have something something have I description. telling cise, tion seems to come a touch too easily. It’s It’s easily. too touch a come to seems tion

with interesting world- interesting with - pre for gift a and phrase, of turn evocative - resolu That storylines. treason-plot the

An intriguing romance, romance, intriguing An

ous holes. Jones has a good hand with the the with hand good a has Jones holes. ous the combined resolution of the secret and and secret the of resolution combined the

a very promising debut. debut. promising very a

- obvi many contains world-building the involvement in the mystery guild, and in in and guild, mystery the in involvement

is is Mystery of Daughter

prose tends to lack elegance, and often often and elegance, lack to tends prose vestigations into her past with Margarit’s Margarit’s with past her into vestigations

the field of speculative fiction, where the the where fiction, speculative of field the - in Barbara’s integrating to comes it when Coming of Age with Gratuitous Botany as I mentioned, that will shock a reader, (cont. from p. 21) we glimpse some of the truly dark worlds ignored, talked around, and worried over where Rickert (as M.) flourishes. The se- for most of the book. crets of the three women, of how Bay came Those of us hungry for a There are secrets Nan has kept from believable and complex to be on Nan’s step, and Bay’s own mys- Bay — some she shares with her friends teenager for adult readers teries (beyond those normal to any boiling will fall in love with Bay and some she has borne alone — and there cauldron of adolescence) are laid bare. Singer. And those who are secrets Bay herself has kept from her The darkness is not enough to turn the admire Rickert’s love affair mother. Astute readers, particularly those book from its witchy romanticisms, but it with language will find well-versed in genre, will quickly unravel is a lovely way to tie up the story. Just as images of great beauty the gist of these long before the reveals. lilacs are described in the novel as “used to throughout. When Ruthie and Mavis arrive we’re surround the dead when they lie in state, treated to a long and somewhat tortured to mask the odor of decaying flesh,” the (and tortuous) reunion. Barbs and in- moodiness at the novel’s end does much to sults fly, old wounds are picked open, and sweeten its unremarkable secrets. guilt rains down on the remorseful Nan, Ultimately, Rickert’s book is worth Caren Gussoff writes both tormented Ruthie, and cancer-stricken reading. Those readers enthusiastic about literary and speculative Mavis, as well as the hormone- and angst- novels and short stories. She the unsurprising portrayal of the magic lives in Seattle. ridden Bay. The book’s plot gets tempo- of women will be richly rewarded. Those rarily ridiculous, however, when a fifth of us hungry for a believable and complex woman, the grandniece of Eve (another teenager for adult readers will fall in love childhood friend of the adults), arrives to with Bay Singer. And those who admire research her family history. Then the actual Rickert’s love affair with language will find reveals proceed, and while there’s nothing, images of great beauty throughout. y Joys of Reading: Fictional, Non-Fictional, and Meta-Fictional Modes What Makes This Book So Great, by Jo Walton, Tor Books, January 2014, 448 pp., $26.99. H My Real Children, by Jo Walton, Tor Books, May 2014, 320 pp., $25.99. 22 reviewed by Cat Rambo For those of us who love books — and read it every year or so for the rest of my I suspect that readers of book reviews are life, discovering more about it every time likely to fit into that group — there’s a line and every time remembering the circum- in Jo Walton’s Among Others that reso- stances in which I first read it” (19). nates: “If you love books enough, they will This book will itself be a reread for love you back.” Walton loves books deeply, some: it’s a compilation of Walton’s Tor. and she knows that there are many kinds com blog posts from July 2008 to Febru- of reading. One is the joy of devouring the ary 2011, and if you want to read the book fresh page, hot off the press and stuffed in an alternate, larger form, you could read with new words, new worlds, new whirls those posts there with all the comments, of character and plot. as well as those not reprinted in the book. And then there’s rereading, coming back to a book you love, finding perhaps a I found myself doing two things while few new things, but mainly loving what’s reading What Makes This Book So Great: Walton loves books deeply, familiar, like a funhouse ride repeated: here and she knows that the first I do sometimes, the second fairly there are many kinds of we are lifted, here we are spun about, here infrequently. I wrote down a lengthy list reading. One is the joy of we are plunged to the depths of despair of books, dividing it into categories: books devouring the fresh page, before rising triumphantly once again. new to me; old favorites I wanted to go hot off the press and In What Makes This Book So Great Wal- back and reread in light of Walton’s com- stuffed with new words, ton says: “My ideal relationship with a ments; books I wanted to try again based new worlds, new whirls of book is that I will read it for the first time on her analysis (Dirk Gently’s Holistic De­ character and plot. entirely unspoiled. I won’t know anything tective Agency, Stephenson’s Anathem). I And then there’s rereading, whatsoever about it, it will be wonderful, it agreed with so many of her assessments,

coming back to a book you will be exciting and layered and complex of books like Tanith Lee’s Don’t Bite the

love…. and I will be excited by it, and I will re- Sun, Susan Palwick’s Shelter, and Samuel n

n

with that. (322) that. with that make it well worth a second read. second a worth well it make that Strange Horizons. Strange and

economically sends a double signal signal double a sends economically tire life and world in which they appear, and and appear, they which in world and life tire , , Tales Weird Fiction, Science

Asimov’s Asimov’s as places such in something terribly wrong. Orwell Orwell wrong. terribly something - en the about much so say that hope or pain

short stories have appeared appeared have stories short with twenty-four-hour time twenty-four-hour with and and — Yet its details linger, the small moments of of moments small the linger, details its Yet

. Her Her . Stories Other and Tale

you work out that this is a world world a is this that out work you fered up by some specimens of the genre. genre. the of specimens some by up fered

The Surgeon’s Surgeon’s The on VanderMeer

something is terribly wrong before before wrong terribly is something - of wonders kick-filled eyeball and splendid

She collaborated with Jeff Jeff with collaborated She

ing thirteen, you think at first that that first at think you thirteen, ing it easy to overlook among some of the most most the of some among overlook to easy it

from 2007-2011. 2007-2011. from Magazine

- strik were clocks the that read unobtrusive and subtle book, which makes makes which book, subtle and unobtrusive Fantasy Fantasy of co-editor was

world from the clues. When you you When clues. the from world book? In many ways, yes. But it is also an an also is it But yes. ways, many In book? Pacific Northwest. She She Northwest. Pacific

Cat Rambo lives in the the in lives Rambo Cat teria for Walton’s ideal relationship with a a with relationship ideal Walton’s for teria thing the reader does, building the the building does, reader the thing

- cri the match Children Real My Does - some also it’s but does, writer the

unsure what is true and what is dementia. is what and true is what unsure about worldbuilding as something something as worldbuilding about

home, moving back and forth between lives, lives, between forth and back moving home, if not more interesting. We talk talk We interesting. more not if

anything about her state now, in an old age age old an in now, state her about anything ing as the characters and the plots, plots, the and characters the as ing

the different lives she’s lived, but more than than more but lived, she’s lives different the - interest as is mind your in gether

where we care about the protagonist and and protagonist the about care we where - to all that putting and mysterious,

ated the sort of book that does get reread, reread, get does that book of sort the ated the history of the world is what’s what’s is world the of history the

- cre has Walton well. as choices those by like a mystery where the world and and world the where mystery a like

other, and the world around you is affected affected is you around world the and other, I think is a high form of fun. SF is is SF fun. of form high a is think I

- an to opposed as stream life one down as “too much hard work” and which which and work” hard much “too as

the smallest, simplest things can send you you send can things simplest smallest, the things some people complain about about complain people some things

most mundane details, until we understand: understand: we until details, mundane most them together. This is one of the the of one is This together. them

book.… subverts that, devoting itself to the minute, minute, the to itself devoting that, subverts has to remember them and connect connect and them remember to has

an unobtrusive and subtle subtle and unobtrusive an fictional, with such a device? But the story story the But device? a such with fictional, add up to a big picture. The reader reader The picture. big a to up add

ways, yes. But it is also also is it But yes. ways, Cowan’s parallel lives. Surely it is science science is it Surely lives. parallel Cowan’s tion seamlessly through the text to to text the through seamlessly tion

with a book? In many many In book? a with is the story of Patricia Patricia of story the is Children Real My - informa of pieces scattering ing,

Walton’s ideal relationship relationship ideal Walton’s 23 - inclu call I what of forms of lots

match the criteria for for criteria the match

art form in its own right. There are are There right. own its in form art

My Real Children Children Real My Does

i Neal Stephenson has raised to an an to raised has Stephenson Neal

There’s the simple infodump, which which infodump, simple the There’s

lived.…

On the protocols of reading SF: reading of protocols the On the different lives she’s she’s lives different the

about the protagonist and and protagonist the about buttons too. (222) too. buttons

get reread, where we care care we where reread, get they’re honest. They’re the author’s author’s the They’re honest. they’re

sort of book that does does that book of sort ing, they’re button-pushing, but but button-pushing, they’re ing,

Walton has created the the created has Walton - sell they’re what buying is author

in some ways, but you feel that the the that feel you but ways, some in

aged to care. They’re manipulative manipulative They’re care. to aged

- encour care, to allowed you’re deed,

- In care. can you immersed, you’re

step away from them, but while while but them, from away step

metafictional can we get? we can metafictional

They may look contrived when you you when contrived look may They

act of reading, or rather, rereading. How How rereading. rather, or reading, of act

really good on the storytelling level. level. storytelling the on good really

esting when one of the books is about the the about is books the of one when esting

amined may be ridiculous, they’re they’re ridiculous, be may amined

- inter more Even other. the informs each

- ex when plots the and dimensions

it’s an interesting endeavor, seeing how how seeing endeavor, interesting an it’s

the characters might have only two two only have might characters the

one nonfiction, by the same author. And And author. same the by nonfiction, one

...while the prose might be clunky, clunky, be might prose the ...while

books or rereading. rereading. or books review two books at once, one fiction and and fiction one once, at books two review

things, not just about about just not things,

rereading. On “comfort re-reads”: “comfort On rereading. was that for me, since it’s relatively rare to to rare relatively it’s since me, for that was

says so many smart smart many so says

many smart things, not just about books or or books about just not things, smart many hopping from one to another). This review review This another). to one from hopping

passages because Walton Walton because passages

derlining passages because Walton says so so says Walton because passages derlining eral books during a larger period of time, time, of period larger a during books eral

I found myself underlining underlining myself found I

- un myself found I time, same the At - sev reading be can you way the but ment,

it was pretty Bujold-heavy). pretty was it - mo to moment from simultaneously (not

nitpick with the collection overall, it’s that that it’s overall, collection the with nitpick in rapid succession or at the same time time same the at or succession rapid in

McMaster Bujold (although if I had any any had I if (although Bujold McMaster reading multiple works by the same author author same the by works multiple reading

Daniel Abraham, C.J. Cherryh, or Lois Lois or Cherryh, C.J. Abraham, Daniel acts for Walton. A third kind of reading is is reading of kind third A Walton. for acts

Reading and rereading are two different different two are rereading and Reading Nova Delany’s R. , and of authors such as as such authors of and , Four Improvisations on a Theme floor and ceiling and light and air—into Mark Rich a world that all the same bears witness to something vitally related to internal workings. A dream world courses into a non-dream world, by this means. Mind, through insensate pen, produces some- thing new—something that inserts a grain of dream into a place that has grown away from its origins. I am never sure what frame of mind ex- ists, at the moment a random impulse, an Dance impulse “to draw something,” transforms into the focused desire to make appear upon the page the particular image that is forming, that is coalescing, thanks to pen Am I ever sure what frame of mind ex- and paper. To think of mind at all may ists, when engaged with paper? Paper rules mislead us: for maybe in that moment, the my creative world. It urges my hand to set one we cannot pin down, we are brushing a pen’s steel nib upon its white or cream off the dandruff-thoughts of the master surface—which is not an emptiness and mind, the mind which thinks it controls only an apparent blankness: for paper ex- that which it cannot. We are immersing ists before the eye, and the eye behind the ourselves more fully than we know how to hand has a drawing mind, a painting mind, do consciously, for moments long or short, which is incapable of seeing a blank, or of in the continuum that is our life. Whether drawing a blank. Something exists there, paper calls to pen, or pen to hand, or hand on either side of the teeter-totter, the ful- to mind—or final drawing to mind—we crum being that delicate steel nib split by cannot know: for the new moment, with H a hairline break. That nib gives life to the its new image, has obliterated the old. resulting ink line, while conveying the life 24 within the mind to the surface of the page and revealing what the page held hidden within its apparent emptiness. I am never sure what frame of mind ex- ists, when I engage with paper. For any- thing like a mindset, an attitude, a way of thinking is exactly what I cease seeing, during my time interacting with paper, if I am lucky. At least for certain moments of concentrated attention during the process, that frame ceases being there. I am never sure what frame of mind exists, when I have pen in hand: for the pen itself acquires the equivalent of voli- tion and spirit. We tend to think of the hand that holds and controls the pen. Yet in thinking in this way we are indulging in the fantasy of the master mind that over- sees and foresees. The master mind knows every intricacy of muscle-, tendon-, and bone-interaction in that hand, and can predict the end result of a course that be- gins in synapses, travels through nerves, and continues through actions to move

Featured Artist then into a greater world devoid of syn- Reach apses and nerves—into a world of inked

nib-tip and paper and writing surface and n

n

Panopticon

Cover, The Magazine of Speculative Poetry, 2011 Poetry, Speculative of Magazine The Cover,

Presence II Presence

25

i

Cover, The Magazine of Speculative Poetry, 2003 Poetry, Speculative of Magazine The Cover, Goat untitled

One’s Calling

Man and Master

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